Congo War Security Review

Data Cutoff: February 2, 2026, at 1 P.M. EST

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Read CTP’s assessment on the security situation in South Kivu in Uvira Returned, but South Kivu Still at Risk: Congo War Security Review Special Edition.

Read CTP’s latest analysis on the war in the eastern DRC in the weekly Africa File here.    

Key Takeaway: The Congolese government and M23 resumed Qatari-mediated peace talks. Pro-Congolese government forces are reportedly conducting an offensive to recapture Minembwe town in Fizi district in the South Kivu highlands. The Congolese government claimed that it thwarted an M23 drone attack in Tshopo province in central DRC. The African Union mediators traveled to Burundi as part of their diplomatic tour of the Great Lakes region.

Kinetic Activity in M23-Controlled Areas    

Nothing significant to report.  

Northern Axis: Lubero-Butembo-Beni-Bunia  

Nothing significant to report.  

Southern Axis: Bukavu-Uvira-Baraka-Kalemie

Pro-Congolese government forces are reportedly conducting an offensive to capture Minembwe town in Fizi district in the South Kivu highlands. A Congolese army (FARDC) attack drone reportedly bombed the Madegu neighborhood in Minembwe town in Fizi district around January 31.[i] The FARDC and pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters reportedly clashed with Twirwaneho and RED Tabara fighters in several villages north of Minembwe, including in Mikenge, Tuwetuwe, Kalingi villages and in the Kamombo and Bijombo groups, between January 31 and February 2.[ii] Mikenge is about 15 miles north of Minembwe on the RP527. The Kamombo and Bijombo groups are northeast of Minembwe in the Mwenga highlands.[iii] The Congolese media outlet Kivu Morning Post reported that the two sides also clashed south of Minembwe, in Muliza and Kakenge villages, around February 2.[iv] An FARDC regional spokesman said that pro-Congolese government forces are aiming to retake Minembwe in its ongoing offensive.[v] Pro-Congolese government forces had launched an offensive last week and retaken control of Point Zéro village near Minembwe, a key village with access to several axes in Fizi.[vi]

M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters near the RN2 in Kabare district in South Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Radio Maendeleo reported that M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters in multiple villages in the Irhambi Katana and Buroghe groups, including Mulangala and Bishibiru villages—roughly five and three miles northwest of Kavumu airport on the RN2 on the eastern edge of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, respectively—on January 30.[vii] Radio Maendeleo reported that M23 and Wazalendo fighters had also clashed in Kabare last week, in the Bugobe group—about 12 miles southwest of Bukavu—on January 27 and 28.[viii] The two sides had clashed in this area near the border between Kabare and Walungu districts on at least two occasions since January 4.[ix]

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani

The Congolese government claimed that it thwarted an M23 drone attack in Tshopo province in central DRC. The Tshopo provincial government claimed in a statement on February 1 that it shot down eight one-way attack drones operated by M23 and Rwanda a few miles from the Kisangani international airport in Tshopo on January 31.[x] The government claimed that the drones were equipped with “unconventional munitions” aimed at damaging the airport’s infrastructure.[xi] CTP is unable to verify this claim. Kisangani is more than 250 miles northwest of Walikale town along the RN3 and is the DRC’s fourth largest city. The Kisangani airport is a hub for FARDC drone and logistic operations.[xii]

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu  

Nothing significant to report.  

Major Political Developments  

The Congolese government and M23 resumed Qatari-mediated peace talks. Benjamin Mbonimpa, M23’s lead negotiator, said on social media that the two sides resumed talks on February 1.[xiii] The French magazine Jeune Afrique had reportedly previously that Qatar’s aim in restarting the talks is narrow, mainly on securing a durable ceasefire.[xiv]

The African Union mediators traveled to Burundi as part of their diplomatic tour of the Great Lakes region. The facilitators and Togolese mediation had previously held meetings with the Congolese and Rwandan presidents on January 29 and 30, respectively.[xv] The facilitators and Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé then traveled to Bujumbura, Burundi’s economic capital, to meet with Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye on January 30.[xvi]