Congo War Security Review

Data Cutoff: October 28, 2026, at 10 A.M. EST

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Key Takeaway: The United States imposed sanctions on the Rwandan Ministry of Defense and a financial institution in Kigali. The DRC, Rwanda, and observer nations convened for the seventh Joint Security Coordination Mechanism meeting under the Washington Peace Accords. Clashes continued in the southern Walungu highlands and along the foothills of the Ruzizi Plain in Uvira district in South Kivu, with no operationally significant changes on the ground. Political leaders of the Congolese opposition’s Article 64 Coalition met in Italy for their first in-person meeting since the coalition’s creation in May.

Kinetic Activity in Rutshuru & Eastern Masisi Districts

Pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters attacked FRN in Rutshuru district in North Kivu. Wazalendo fighters reportedly ambushed an FRN convoy that was moving toward Kabizo in the Bwito chiefdom in western Rutshuru on October 26.[1] Kabizo is about 25 miles northeast of Kitchanga on the RP1030 in Masisi district. CTP reported previously that Wazalendo fighters and the Congolese army (FARDC) had conducted attacks on FRN in the adjacent Bwisha chiefdom in Rutshuru in mid-October.[2]

Northern Axis: Lubero-Butembo-Beni-Bunia

Nothing significant to report.

Southern Axis: Bukavu-Uvira-Baraka-Kalemie

Clashes continued in the southern Walungu highlands and along the foothills of the Ruzizi Plain in Uvira district in South Kivu, with no operationally significant changes on the ground. CTP reported previously that significant fighting between FRN and pro-Congolese government forces broke out in the Kaziba chiefdom in southern Walungu and near the Ruzizi Plain in mid-October.[3] FRN’s spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka, claimed on social media on October 22 that pro-Congolese government forces reinforced their positions with troops and military equipment in Luvungi and Lubarika.[4] FRN forces reportedly attacked and clashed with pro-Congolese government forces in Kifune, which is about 18 miles south of Kaziba center in the Uvira mountains, on October 23.[5] Clashes reportedly resumed on October 23, and Congolese government-aligned sources claimed on social media that pro-Congolese government forces captured Kadezi village, which is reportedly near Kaziba and the Munanira mountains.[6] Congolese government-aligned sources claimed on social media that clashes continued in Kaziba and near the Ruzizi on October 24.[7] Clashes reportedly continued in Kaziba and the Uvira midlands on October 26.[8] Kanyuka claimed on social media that pro-Congolese government forces conducted attacks on Mitimbili and Munanira in Kaziba on October 26.[9] Congolese government-aligned journalist Daniel Michombero claimed on social media that FRN forces retook Kadezi on October 26 after pro-Congolese government forces withdrew.[10] Pro-Congolese government forces reportedly conducted several strikes on the hills between the Bafuliru chiefdom in Uvira near the Ruzizi and Kaziba, specifically near Munanira and Ndolera, on October 26.[11] Ndolera is about eight miles west of Luvungi on the RN5 on a local road.

Clashes continued around Minembwe town in the South Kivu highlands, as FRN forces claimed control of several positions south of the town. Kanyuka claimed on social media that pro-Congolese government forces conducted attacks using one-way attack (OWA) drones and heavy artillery on Rugezi, which is south of Minembwe town, on October 21.[12] Clashes reportedly took place in Rugezi on October 24.[13] FRN-allied Twirwaneho’s spokesperson, Fidèle Rugabo, claimed on social media that pro-Congolese government forces attacked Rugezi on October 24.[14] Rugabo reiterated claims on social media that the Congolese government has deployed a CH-10 a Chinese-made CH-10 tilt-rotor drone for air attacks around Minembwe.[15] Twirwaneho-aligned sources claimed that pro-Congolese government forces conducted drone attacks on Biziba near Minembwe and in Gipimo and Rugezi to the south after clashes took place on October 24.[16] Rugabo claimed on social media that pro-Congolese government forces attacked on three lines of advance near Rugezi, from Wihene, Rugomero, and Nyakirango, on October 24.[17] Rugabo claimed on social media that pro-Congolese government forces attacked on three lines of advance near Kabanju, from Gipimo, Nzohaha, and Kasolokochi, on October 25.[18] Twirwaneho sources claimed on October 25 and 26 that heavy fighting took place in Rugezi, Gipimo, and Nyagishasha and that pro-Congolese government forces conducted drone attacks on Rugezi and Gipimo.[19] Rugabo claimed on social media on October 25 that Twirwaneho forces had repelled attacks by pro-government forces in Rugezi and Gipimo and inflicted casualties on enemy forces.[20] Heavy fighting reportedly continued in Wihene, Rugezi, and Point Zéro on October 26.[21] Kanyuka claimed on social media that pro-Congolese government forces conducted OWA and artillery attacks on Wihene, Rugezi, and Point Zéro around October 26.[22] Point Zéro is an operationally significant hilltop east of Minembwe. Rugabo claimed on social media on October 26 that Twirwaneho repelled pro-Congolese government attacks on Rugezi and Gipimo and inflicted losses on enemy forces.[23] Twirwaneho-aligned sources claimed on social media that pro-Congolese government forces bombed Biziba and Rugezi on October 26.[24] Rugabo claimed that Twirwaneho had repelled pro-Congolese government attacks on the Kabanju axis on October 26.[25] FRN-aligned sources and one anti-Burundian government source claimed on social media that Burundian army troops suffered notable losses near Rugezi against Twirwaneho around October 26.[26] Twirwaneho-aligned sources claimed on social media that clashes continued on several axes around Minembwe on October 27 as pro-Congolese government forces regrouped, and Rugabo claimed in two statements on social media that Twirwaneho forces had recaptured operationally significant positions around Kabanju and Rugezi, including Kuwamabuye, Nyarurango, and Rugomero.[27]

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani

Fighting broke out again near the RP1030 in Walikale district in North Kivu as pro-Congolese government claimed control of a hilltop. Pro-Congolese government forces reportedly attacked FRN forces in Katobo in the Banamulindwa locality in the Kisimba group in Walikale on October 24 and captured Rushihe hill after dislodging FRN after three days of clashes.[28] Clashes resumed in Luola and near Chad hill overlooking Minjenje and Mpeti on October 27, when pro-Congolese government forces repelled FRN attacks in the area.[29]

Fighting reportedly resumed on the RP529 near Nyabiondo town in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Actualite.cd reported that clashes broke out in Kibati to the west of Nyabiondo on the RP529 on October 268, when pro-Congolese government forces conducted attacks on FRN positions in the village.[30]

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu

Nothing significant to report.

Major Political Developments

The United States imposed sanctions on the Rwandan Ministry of Defense (MoD) and a financial institution in Kigali. The US Treasury Department said on October 28 that it sanctioned the Rwandan MoD for providing support to FRN and deploying troops and military equipment to the eastern DRC.[31] The Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on Zigama Credit and Savings Society, which is a financial cooperative and bank headquartered in Kigali that serves Rwanda’s security and intelligence services.[32] The Treasury Department claimed that Zigama facilitated the transport of gold from FRN-controlled territory in the eastern DRC to Kigali and processed financial transactions worth tens of millions of dollars for FRN.[33] Zigama is the fourth largest bank in Rwanda by total assets and is known for offering competitive interest rates that are generally lower than conventional commercial banks in the region.[34] Rwandan or M23-linked persons and entities now account for 15 of the 16 individuals and entities sanctioned by the US Treasury Department in the Great Lakes region in 2026.[35] The United States has framed these actions as enforcement measures to support the implementation of the Washington Peace Accords (WPA).

The DRC, Rwanda, and observer nations convened for the seventh Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (JSCM) meeting under the WPA. Military officials from the DRC and Rwanda, along with representatives from the African Union, the United States, and Qatar, met in Garmisch, Germany from October 20 to 22.[36] The sixth JSCM meeting was in Switzerland in mid-August.[37] The readout said that the delegations worked to finalize the draft Operations Order agreed upon at the sixth JSCM meeting for Congolese army operations against the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) and the withdrawal of Rwandan forces from the eastern DRC.[38] The readout made no mention of the protocol that the Congolese government has advocated in recent months for the voluntary demobilization of the FDLR.

Political leaders of the Congolese opposition’s Article 64 Coalition (C64) met in Rome, Italy for their first in-person meeting since the coalition’s creation in May. The C64’s five leaders, Martin Fayulu, Jean-Marc Kabund, Moïse Katumbi, Augustin Matata Ponyo, and Delly Sesanga, met in Rome from October 25 to 27 and said in a statement on October 27 that they rejected both constitutional change and armed rebellion and would seek to meet DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and former DRC President Joseph Kabila separately “to find a Congolese solution to the crisis” and agree to a “genuine inclusive national dialogue.”[39] The coalition did not mention a timeline for the proposed meetings or indicate whether Tshisekedi and Kabila had agreed to participate. The statement accused the Congolese government of preparing a “constitutional coup” and separately condemned the use of force to seize power.[40] The coalition’s stance on Kabila was reportedly the main sticking point in the talks. One unnamed participant told French state media on October 27 that condemning Kabila could look like support for Tshisekedi, while not condemning him could be read as indirect support for Kabila.[41] Another source said the coalition agreed that both armed and unarmed actors should still participate in the dialogue under the mediation of the religious leaders.[42]

Congolese authorities reportedly had arrested an opposition figure who tried to attend the meeting in Rome. The DRC’s migration authority reportedly confiscated the passports of Fayulu, his deputy, and Prince Epenge, who is the spokesperson for Fayulu’s Lamuka coalition, before returning the passports belonging to Fayulu and his deputy.[43] Congolese intelligence officials reportedly detained Epenge after he refused to leave the airport in Kinshasa without his passport and transferred him to the intelligence service linked to Tshisekedi’s office.[44] The French magazine Jeune Afrique cited accounts from Epenge’s circle that claimed that intelligence agents from the Agence nationale de renseignements (ANR) “arrested him, confiscated his phones, and forced him into a 4x4 vehicle. His eyes were blindfolded with a piece of cloth.”[45] Authorities reportedly issued a provisional arrest warrant for Epenge and charged him with “spreading false rumors” over claims that Manassé Lomboto, who was part of Epenge’s security detail, had been assassinated.[46] Lomboto died during a mid-September march against constitutional change in Kinshasa, likely killed by militants linked to Tshisekedi’s party.[47] Epenge’s family accused the Congolese government of pressuring doctors who produced a medical report after his death toward a natural-death conclusion.[48] Congolese authorities then prevented Lomboto’s funeral from taking place on September 26.[49] Epenge claimed that 80 armed police blocked the hospital, where his body remains.[50] C64 called for Epenge’s release in their final statement on October 27.[51]

The UN’s mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) repatriated over 40 individuals to Rwanda. MONUSCO said on social media on October 28 that it had facilitated the voluntary repatriation of 42 individuals, including 10 FDLR members, to Rwanda in cooperation with the Congolese and Rwandan governments.[52]

Significant US-Backed Economic Activity

A US-backed minerals consortium is reportedly close to acquiring a stake in Glencore’s copper and cobalt mines in the DRC. Orion Resource Partners CEO Oskar Lewnowski told Bloomberg on October 23 that the Orion Critical Mineral Consortium (Orion CMC) was in the “final phases” of purchasing a 40 percent stake in Glencore’s interests in the Kamoto Copper Company and Mutanda Mining operations in Lualaba province in the southern DRC.[53] Glencore and Orion CMC had signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding on the two mines in early February 2026.[54] Orion Resource Partners had established Orion CMC with the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and an Emirati sovereign wealth fund to strengthen critical mineral supply chains for the United States and its allies in October 2025.[55] Lewnowski also said that Orion CMC could still support Chemaf, a Congolese producer of copper and cobalt acquired by US company Virtus Minerals, but that the consortium’s short-term priority was wrapping up the Glencore deal.[56]