Congo War Security Review

Data Cutoff: February 6, 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 United States is expected to announce new sanctions on senior Rwandan officials soon. The Congolese army claimed that it thwarted a second M23 drone attack in Tshopo province in the central DRC. M23 attacked and clashed with pro-Congolese government forces in Rutshuru district in North Kivu.

Kinetic Activity in M23-Controlled Areas    

M23 attacked pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters in Rutshuru district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Kivu Morning Post reported that M23 attacked and clashed with pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters and fighters from the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) in several villages in the Nyabanira locality in Binza group in the Bwisha chiefdom between February 2 to 5.[i] Nyabanira is about 21 miles north of Rutshuru town. The last reported kinetic activity in Bwisha was in late December 2025, when Wazalendo fighters reportedly ambushed an M23 contingent on patrol in the Virunga National Park, near Rumangabo on the RN2.[ii]

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

The Congolese army (FARDC) claimed that it thwarted a second drone attack in Tshopo province in the central DRC. The FARDC reportedly shot down at least one one-way attack drone at the Kisangani international airport in Tshopo province on February 5.[iii] The Kisangani airport is hundreds of miles from the eastern DRC front line and has been an important rear base for the FARDC against M23 for several years. The FARDC had shot down an initial barrage of attack drones operated by M23 before they reached their target at the Kisangani airport between January 31 and February 1.[iv] M23’s political spokesman, Lawrence Kanyuka, had then claimed that the group destroyed the airport’s drone command center in the attack on February 3.[v]

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu  

Nothing significant to report.  

Major Political Developments  

The United States is expected to announce new sanctions on senior Rwandan officials soon. The French investigative outlet Africa Intelligence reported on February 5 that the Trump administration is expected to levy a new sanctions package on several high-ranking Rwanda army, intelligence, and mining officials in the coming days.[vi] The sanctions come after Rwanda supported M23’s large-scale offensive on Uvira town in South Kivu in late 2025. Africa Intelligence reported that US President Donald Trump is expected to review and decide on the sanctions package on February 10.[vii] The last significant round of Western sanctions on Rwanda was in early 2025. The United States sanctioned retired Rwandan General James Kabarebe and Lawrence Kanyuka in late February 2025.[viii] The European Union sanctioned nine Rwandan army and M23 officials and a gold refinery in Rwanda in mid-March 2025.[ix]