Congo War Security Review

Data Cutoff: December 15, 2025, at 1 P.M. EST

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Read CTP’s breakdown of the fall of Uvira in What M23's Capture of Uvira Means for the DRC, Wider Region, and Peace Talks: Africa File Special Edition.

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

Key Takeaway: M23 advanced south from Uvira town into Fizi district in South Kivu. The Congolese army (FARDC) reportedly bombed M23-aligned positions in the highlands near Minembwe town in Fizi district. The FARDC bombed an M23 position near Nyabiondo town in Masisi district in North Kivu. M23 attacked Wazalendo fighters in southern Masisi district.

Kinetic Activity in M23-Controlled Areas    

Pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters attacked M23 in Rutshuru district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Kivu Morning Post reported that Wazalendo fighters attacked M23 in Musha village in the Bukombo group in Bwito chiefdom in Rutshuru on December 15.[i] Musha is about 20 miles northeast of Kitchanga on the RP1030 in the adjacent Masisi district via local roads. M23 had previously attacked Wazalendo fighters in at least five villages in Bukombo on December 12.[ii]

Northern Axis: Lubero-Butembo-Beni-Bunia  

Nothing significant to report.  

Southern Axis: Bukavu-Uvira-Baraka-Kalemie

M23 advanced south from Uvira town into Fizi district in South Kivu. M23 reportedly advanced about nine miles south of the Kalundu port in Uvira town on the RN5 and clashed with Wazalendo fighters in Makobola village before capturing it and advancing another four miles to capture Kasekesi on December 14.[iii] The fall of Kasekesi marks M23’s first territorial capture in Fizi district. The Congolese army (FARDC) has reportedly sent a significant number of reinforcements and military equipment to Baraka town—about 40 miles south of Kasekesi—and established front line positions between Mboko and Munene village on the RN5 in recent days.[iv]

The FARDC reportedly bombed M23-aligned positions in the highlands near Minembwe town in Fizi district. The FARDC had bombed M23-aligned Twirwaneho positions in Mikenge and Bilalombili villages, the former about 15 miles north of Minembwe in Fizi, on December 12.[v] Pro-M23 sources claimed that the FARDC bombed two villages about 20 miles south of Minembwe, including Rugezi, on December 13.[vi] Twirwaneho fighters reportedly clashed with the FARDC in Rugezi and at least three other nearby villages in the Fizi highlands on December 13.[vii] Twirwaneho fighters reportedly captured Kipupu village, the capital of Itombwe sector about 30 miles north of Minembwe on the RP527 in the Mwenga highlands, on December 13, after FARDC and Burundian troops had withdrawn when M23 captured Uvira town on December 10.[viii] Pro-M23 sources claimed that the FARDC bombed Bilalombili on December 14.[ix] The FARDC then reportedly bombed Rugezi and Bilalombili and Mikenge villages again on December 15.[x] Pro-M23 sources claimed that the FARDC air assets used in the strikes came from Burundi.[xi]

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani  

The FARDC bombed an M23 position near Nyabiondo town in Masisi district in North Kivu. An FARDC attack drone reportedly targeted and destroyed an M23 military camp in Burora village, about six miles south of Nyabiondo on the RP529, in an airstrike on December 14.[xii] M23 had established the military camp last week.[xiii] The strike on Burora marks the sixth reported FARDC airstrike on M23 in Masisi since December 2.[xiv]

M23 attacked Wazalendo fighters in southern Masisi district. The Congolese media outlet Radio Okapi reported that M23 attacked Wazalendo positions in two villages in the Katoyi sector on December 13.[xv] CTP is unable to verify the precise location of the two villages. The Katoyi sector is in southern Masisi, bordering Walikale district in North Kivu to the west and South Kivu province to the south. Radio Okapi reported that some civilians fled toward Walikale due to the fighting.[xvi]

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu  

Nothing significant to report.  

Major Political Developments  

Nothing significant to report.