AFC/M23 warns Congolese army against continued violence in Uvira

Speaking to IGIHE, Nangaa said the group’s withdrawal from Uvira was a voluntary move made at the request of the United States, aimed at keeping peace negotiations on track. He stressed that the decision was consistent with previous pullbacks carried out by AFC/M23 in other areas, including Bunagana and Walikale.

“This is not the first time we have taken such a step,” he said. “We withdrew from Bunagana in the past. In Masisi, when EAC forces were deployed, we pulled back more than 100 kilometers. We also left Walikale to allow the Doha talks to proceed. This time, we were again asked to leave Uvira.”

Nangaa said that prior to the withdrawal, he had alerted the international community to the risk of reprisals against civilians accused of collaborating with AFC/M23, warning in particular that Banyamulenge communities in South Kivu could become targets.

According to him, AFC/M23 proposed the deployment of neutral international forces to protect civilians in Uvira and prevent abuses, but that proposal was not implemented.

“Once we withdrew, the situation deteriorated,” Nangaa said. “There were widespread acts of looting, mass killings, arbitrary arrests of Banyamulenge, and targeted attacks against specific communities. Nearly 900 Banyamulenge families fled Uvira and are now sheltering in Luvungi, Sange, and above all Kamanyola.”

He added that AFC/M23 has since demonstrated its ability to quickly regain access to areas it previously controlled, noting that the group retains the operational capacity to move rapidly whenever it chooses to do so.

Describing DRC government soldiers as undisciplined militias, Nangaa warned that continued violence in Uvira would leave AFC/M23 with no choice but to step in. “If these abuses continue, we will take responsibility for protecting civilians,” he said.

The warning comes as discussions in Kinshasa point to a possible new military offensive aimed at recapturing territories currently held by AFC/M23, following the group’s withdrawal of its last fighters from Uvira on January 17, 2026.