Congo War Security Review

Data Cutoff: December 17, 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 announced a unilateral withdrawal from Uvira town in South Kivu. M23 recaptured several villages in north-central Masisi district in North Kivu.

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

Nothing significant to report.  

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani  

M23 recaptured several villages in north-central Masisi district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Kivu Morning Post reported that M23 recaptured three villages from pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters in the Bashali chiefdom in Masisi on December 16.[i] CTP is unable to verify the location of the villages. The Bashali chiefdom is in the northern part of Masisi, located between the RP529 and the section of the RP1030 that borders Walikale district.[ii]

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu  

Nothing significant to report.  

Major Political Developments  

M23 announced a unilateral withdrawal from Uvira town in South Kivu. Corneille Nangaa, the head of M23’s political branch, Alliance Fleuve Congo, said that M23 committed to unilaterally withdraw from Uvira in a statement on December 15.[iii] Nangaa called the move a “unilateral trust-building measure” and a sign of its commitment to “give Doha the maximum chance to succeed.”[iv] Nangaa said that M23 made the decision to withdraw in response to a request from the United States.[v] Nangaa called on the United States and the “guarantors of the peace process” to “demilitarize” Uvira, protect locals and infrastructure, and deploy a “neutral force” that will monitor a ceasefire before M23 forces withdraw.[vi] The M23 military spokesperson told Reuters on December 17 that M23 was “ready to leave [Uvira], but our conditions have to be reviewed” first.[vii]