Fighting continues to intensify across several parts of Fizi Territory in South Kivu Province, where the MRDP-Twirwaneho movement is engaged in clashes with a coalition comprising the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), Burundian troops, Wazalendo militias, and the FDLR.
Reports from the area indicate that MRDP-Twirwaneho continues to emerge as one of the key armed groups in the fight for control of various parts of Fizi, with claims that it has captured and taken control of several areas previously held by the Democratic Republic of Congo’s forces.
Last week, heavy fighting was reported in different parts of Minembwe and surrounding areas, where the government side used various weapons, including heavy artillery. However, reports from the area claim that MRDP-Twirwaneho overpowered the coalition forces and pushed them back significantly. Residents in the affected areas continue to suffer the consequences of insecurity, with some fleeing to places they consider safer while others attempt to return to their homes.
Security observers in the area say that MRDP-Twirwaneho has continued to make significant gains in military operations in Fizi Territory, with reports that it has taken control of several strategically important areas as part of efforts to expand its influence.
According to reports from the area, MRDP-Twirwaneho continues to control key locations in Fizi Territory, including all of Minembwe and nearby areas such as Mikenke, Point Zero, and Rwitsankuku. Meanwhile, the coalition comprising FARDC, Burundian troops, Wazalendo, and FDLR continues to retreat, with reports indicating that some of its members have moved toward Baraka.
Minembwe Capital News has also learned from reliable sources that FARDC withdrew overnight from several other areas without any fighting, including Kanguli, Nakiheli, and surrounding locations.
Sources who spoke to Minembwe Capital News say that the fighting in Fizi has significant implications for the opposing sides, as the area is considered strategically important for trade, administration, and road connections linking different parts of South Kivu.
As MRDP-Twirwaneho continues to claim battlefield victories, reports from the area indicate that some soldiers from the FARDC, Burundian troops, Wazalendo, and FDLR coalition are continuing to retreat toward the town of Baraka, which is considered to host key positions of the Kinshasa government in Fizi Territory.
The reported withdrawal is said to have been driven by the intensity of the fighting and the ongoing struggle between the opposing sides to control strategic roads and key areas in the region.
Other reports indicate that some troops who left those areas moved toward Bibogobogo, while others continued their journey toward Baraka.
Reports further indicate that Bibogobogo is currently hosting a large number of soldiers, with most of them reportedly being from the Burundian forces.
