Congo War Security Review, February 25, 2026

Data Cutoff: February 25, 2026, at 1 P.M. EST

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Key Takeaway: The Congolese army (FARDC) killed a senior M23 military leader in a drone strike amid an ongoing offensive against M23 in Masisi district in North Kivu. Significant fighting between M23 and pro-Congolese government forces has occurred on the ground in several areas in southern Masisi since February 23. An advance team from the UN and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) deployed to Uvira in South Kivu to lay the groundwork for ceasefire monitoring. The FARDC and pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters clashed with M23 in Kabare and Kalehe districts in South 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

The Congolese army (FARDC) and Wazalendo fighters clashed with M23 in Kabare and Kalehe districts in South Kivu. The two sides reportedly clashed using light and heavy weaponry in at least half a dozen villages in the Mubu group on the northern tip of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the Kalehe highlands—including in Bushaku, Katasomwa, and Kitendebwa villages—on February 22 and 24.[1] Katasomwa is a gold mining town that M23 had captured in late April 2025, about 20 miles east of Buyankiri on the RN3. M23 accused the FARDC of using drones and heavy artillery to bomb its positions and civilians in Kalehe in statements on February 24 and 25.[2] The two sides also clashed further south in Kabare district. CTP reported previously that clashes between the two sides broke out north of Bukavu in Kavumu town on the RN2 in Kabare on February 21 and 22.[3] The Congolese media outlet Radio Maendeleo reported that fighting resumed in several villages in the Bugorhe group, about six miles north of Kavumu on the outskirts of Katana on the RN2, on February 24.[4]

Fighting between pro-Congolese government forces and an M23-aligned militia continued in the South Kivu highlands. Pro-Congolese government forces have been conducting an offensive against M23-aligned Twirwaneho fighters around Minembwe town in Fizi district since late January. CTP reported previously that the FARDC, reinforced by the Wazalendo fighters and Burundian army (FDNB) contingents, had clashed with Twirwaneho around Minembwe between February 17 and 23.[5] The FARDC reportedly conducted airstrikes on Twirwaneho positions around Minembwe on February 24.[6] Ground fighting between the two sides reportedly took place in at least three villages around Minembwe, including in Bidegu, Ilundu, and Irumba, on February 24.[7] Radio Manedeleo reported that fighting also occurred in Mwenga district, including in Mikenge—about 15 miles north of Minembwe on the RP527 in the Itombwe sector in Mwenga—on February 24.[8] French media cited local and military sources on February 25 who said that 5,000 FDNB troops are fighting alongside the FARDC and Wazalendo in South Kivu.[9]

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani  

The FARDC killed a senior M23 military leader in a drone strike amid an ongoing offensive against M23 in Masisi district in North Kivu. The FARDC has reportedly conducted multiple drone attacks on M23 positions in the Rubaya area since February 23.[10] Locals said that telecommunications in the Rubaya area were cut on February 24.[11] The FARDC reportedly conducted a drone strike on M23 on a hill above the town that caused the death of Willy Ngoma, the group’s military spokesman and a veteran M23 member, as senior rebel leaders were gathering in a house early on February 24.[12] M23 had reportedly been using the site for meetings for several weeks.[13] The group did not immediately release a statement on Ngoma’s death. An FARDC official told Agence Congolaise de Presse on February 24 that the army was carrying out “legitimate defense actions.”[14] The strike reportedly injured several M23 officers and killed at least nine other people, whose bodies M23 transported to Goma.[15] Rumors circulated on social media that the death toll included two other senior M23 officials, namely Sultani Makenga, M23’s operational commander.[16] A pro-Congolese government investigative outlet had reported that Makenga went to Rubaya to “personally oversee operations” amid the FARDC-Wazalendo offensive on February 23.[17] Makenga had reportedly left the area a few hours before the strike occurred, however.[18] A Wazalendo group based in Rutshuru district claimed that Makenga fled to a church in Matanda on the RP529 on February 24.[19]

Significant fighting between M23 and pro-Congolese government forces has occurred on the ground in several areas in southern Masisi since February 23. CTP reported previously that the FARDC and Wazalendo launched a ground offensive on at least two separate axes against M23 and captured a number of villages between February 20 and 23.[20] M23 reportedly repelled additional FARDC and Wazalendo attacks on its positions south of Rubaya near the border with South Kivu in Kashovu and Lumbishi villages on February 24.[21] Fighting reportedly broke out again on February 25, when Wazalendo fighters conducted additional attacks on M23.[22] Wazalendos had reportedly captured multiple M23 front line positions on another axis west of Rubaya town and have continued clashing with the group for control of key positions, notably Kasenyi in the Kibabi group and Kaniro in the Buabo group—west and north of Rubaya, respectively—since February 23.[23] Wazalendo fighters reportedly advanced further and captured four villages on the outskirts of Rubaya, including Kanyaru—about 5 miles southwest of the town—on February 24.[24] M23 reportedly redeployed reinforcements and military equipment and launched a counteroffensive to halt the Wazalendo advance and retake Kasenyi on February 25.[25] The Congolese media outlet Kivu Morning Post reported that M23 then dislodged Wazalendo fighters and recaptured Kaniro on February 25.[26]

Pro-Congolese government forces launched attacks on a possible third line of advance, roughly 20 miles west of Masisi town. Wazalendo fighters from Buhimba village in Walikale district reportedly attacked M23 and captured Mahanga, about four miles south of Kasopo in the Nyamaboko group, on February 24.[27] FARDC-Wazalendo fighters then reportedly attacked M23 and captured Kazinga and another nearby village to the south in the same group on February 24.[28] Wazalendo fighters from Buhimba then attacked another M23 position in Kibanda village, close to Kasopo village near the RP529, on February 25.[29] M23 reportedly launched a counteroffensive and attacked several Wazalendo positions near Kazinga on February 25.[30]

Wazalendo fighters repelled an M23 attack north of the RP1030 in the Walikale district. The Congolese media outlet Actualite.cd reported that Wazalendo fighters repelled an M23 attack in the Kisimba group near Katobi and Mpeti villages on the RP1030 on February 24.[31] Katobi is about two miles west of Mpeti, M23’s forward position on the RP1030, and the last significant village before Pinga nine miles further west on the RP1030. M23 had reinforced its positions on the RP1030 in recent days and attacked and clashed with Wazalendo fighters near Katobi on February 21 and 22.[32]

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu  

Nothing significant to report.  

Major Political Developments 

An advance team from the UN and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) deployed to Uvira in South Kivu to lay the groundwork for ceasefire monitoring. A team from the UN and the ICGLR deployed to Uvira and is conducting a mission to assess conditions on the ground for ceasefire monitoring efforts from February 23 to February 27.[33] UN officials said separately that they met with the ICGLR team led by a Zambian general and a five-person team to discuss preparations in Goma on February 25.[34]

DRC President Félix Tshisekedi met with the French president to discuss the security situation in the eastern DRC. French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Tshisekedi in Paris to discuss their bilateral relationship and the eastern DRC conflict in Paris on February 25.[35] Tshisekedi’s last meeting with Macron was on January 23.[36]

Significant US-Backed Regional Economic Activity

Tshisekedi replaced the two top officials of the DRC’s state mining company amid deepening ties with the United States. Tshisekedi reshuffled high-level political appointees in several state-owned companies, including copper and cobalt mining giant Gécamines, on February 23.[37] Tshisekedi replaced the CEO and the chairman of Gécamines in the reshuffle. Tshisekedi reportedly sacked them at least in part for their opposition to approving the pending sale of assets owned by Dubai-based Chemaf, a copper and cobalt producer, to US-backed Virtus Minerals.[38] A senior Congolese government official told Reuters on February 24 that their efforts to block the sale had become “untenable.”[39] Gécamines does not have a stake in Chemaf’s assets but owns the mining permits and must approve the sale under Congolese law.