Congo War Security Review, September 15, 2025

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

To receive the Africa File and Congo War Security Review via email, please subscribe here.

Follow CTP on X, LinkedIn, and BlueSky for daily updates.

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

Key Takeaway: Pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters clashed with M23 on several fronts in Masisi district in North Kivu. Reuters reported that the DRC and Rwanda aim to finalize the US-led regional economic framework in early October. The DRC and M23 signed a prisoner exchange agreement. The UN repatriated close to 300 Rwandan refugees to Rwanda from the eastern DRC as part of the US-backed peace accord.

Kinetic Activity in Rutshuru & Eastern Masisi Districts

M23 repelled pro-Congolese government Wazalendo attacks near the RP1030 in Rutshuru district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Kivu Morning Post reported that M23 repelled Wazalendo attacks on M23 in three villages, including Kyahemba and Mushebere, in the Bukombo group in the Bwito chiefdom in Rutshuru on September 11.[i] Kyahemba is about nine miles northwest of Kitchanga on the RP1030.

Southern Axis: Bukavu-Uvira-Baraka-Kalemie

Nothing significant to report.

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani

Wazalendo fighters clashed with M23 near Nyabiondo in Masisi district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Actualite.cd reported that M23 repelled Wazalendo attacks in Kasopo on September 4 and September 6.[ii] Kasopo is roughly seven miles west of Nyabiondo on the RP529. Wazalendo fighters then attacked again and dislodged M23 from two positions in Kasopo on September 10, causing a large displacement of people.[iii] M23 attacked Wazalendo positions and regained control of one of the positions in Kasopo after a four-day lull on September 13.[iv]

Wazalendo fighters clashed with M23 near the RP529 in Walikale district in North Kivu. Actualite.cd reported that Wazalendos attacked M23 on the front lines in Kibati on the RP529 on September 10.[v] Kibati is about 13 miles west of Nyabiondo on the RP529. The outlet reported that M23 repelled Wazalendo attacks on its positions on Mount Bueni on September 13.[vi] Mount Bueni is about four miles southwest of Kasopo on a local road.

Wazalendo fighters clashed with M23 in several areas near the Masisi district capital. Actualite.cd reported that Wazalendo fighters and M23 clashed in Shoa on September 6 before M23 regained control of the village on September 7.[vii] Shoa is about eight miles west of Masisi town via local road. Both sides reportedly used heavy weaponry around Shoa.[viii] Actualite.cd reported that Wazalendo fighters attacked M23 in Kihuma village—four miles south of Masisi—on September 7.[ix] The outlet reported that M23 captured several other villages near Shoa, including Burora, from Wazalendo fighters, some of whom retreated toward Kazinga—about nine miles southwest of Shoa—on September 8 and September 9.[x]

Wazalendo fighters clashed with M23 near the RP1030 on the border between Masisi and Walikale districts in North Kivu. Congolese media reported that Wazalendo fighters conducted attacks against M23 in at least four villages on the RP1030, including Mpeti, from September 8 to September 12.[xi] Mpeti is about ten miles east of Pinga, a regional military and logistics hub, on the RP1030. M23 reportedly reinforced its positions near Mpeti and the nearby Kisimba group in Walikale district from its supply point in Kitshanga in Rutshuru district on September 11.[xii]

M23 launched an offensive in an area north of Nyabiondo in north-central Masisi. Congolese media reported that M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters in central Bashali chiefdom in Masisi from September 7 to September 10, when M23 took control of at least three villages in the area, including Bibwe—roughly 15 miles southeast of Pinga.[xiii] Actualite.cd reported that M23 transferred suspected Wazalendo fighters from a cordon and search operation on the RP1030 to Bibwe on September 11.[xiv] M23 launched an offensive near Lukweti, about eight miles southwest of Bibwe and 11 miles north of Nyabiondo, on September 13, which has caused significant population displacements in the area.[xv] M23 reportedly captured several villages near Lukweti from Wazalendo fighters on September 15.[xvi]

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu

Nothing significant to report.

Major Political Developments

Reuters reported that the DRC and Rwanda aim to finalize the US-led regional economic framework in early October. Reuters cited an insider source on September 14 who said that various stakeholders are discussing the details of the framework and that representatives from the DRC and Rwanda likely aim to meet in early October to finalize the deal.[xvii] Reuters reported that the draft deal builds on a preliminary outline from late August and commits the DRC and Rwanda to work with the United States and third parties to reform and formalize their mineral supply chains.[xviii] The regional economic framework centers around cooperation in economic initiatives in sectors including energy, infrastructure, mining, national park management and tourism, and public health.[xix] Reuters reported that the latest draft agreement outlines reforms and coordination mechanisms for regional mineral supply chains, including third-party inspections of mining sites, developing “cross-border special economic zones,” and timelines for regional summits on economic integration.[xx]

The DRC and M23 signed a prisoner exchange agreement. Massad Boulos, US President Donald Trump’s Africa advisor, said on social media on September 12 that the two sides recently signed a Qatari-brokered Prisoner Exchange Mechanism agreement.[xxi] Boulos said that the International Committee of the Red Cross will facilitate the exchange process as a “neutral intermediary.”[xxii]

The UN repatriated close to 300 Rwandan refugees to Rwanda from the eastern DRC as part of the US-backed peace accord. The UN collaborated with M23 to repatriate 284 Rwandan refugees to Rwanda via the M23-controlled Grande Barrière border post in Goma on September 9.[xxiii] Many of the refugees were reportedly dependents of ethnic Hutu extremist fighters who lived near the Virunga National Park.[xxiv] The repatriation operations are part of an agreement backed by the UN and the United States between the DRC and Rwanda to find solutions to the refugees crisis and expedite voluntary repatriations in late July.