Fierce clashes erupt near Kahuzi-Biega as M23 seize Kabushwa from Wazalendo

Heavy fighting broke out on Wednesday on the outskirts of Kahuzi-Biega National Park, in Kabare Territory, South Kivu Province, between Wazalendo rebel groups and the M23-affiliated AFC forces. The confrontation, which took place in the village of Kabushwa, triggered a new wave of mass displacement as local residents fled the violence in search of safer areas.

According to local sources and a report by Radio Okapi, the hostilities began when M23 forces launched an attack on Wazalendo positions in Kabushwa, a village situated in the Irhambi Katana groupement near the edge of the national park.

This marks the first direct clash between the two groups in this region since AFC/M23 seized several parts of Kabare Territory in February 2025. The area had previously been spared from frontline confrontations, but the latest developments signal a worrying escalation.

Witnesses report that the fighting lasted for several hours. As a result, Wazalendo fighters were eventually forced to retreat, leaving Kabushwa under the control of M23 rebels. This strategic gain adds to the expanding territory now reportedly held by M23 forces, who continue to oppose the government of President Félix Tshisekedi.

The conflict has not only displaced civilians but has also affected illegal exploiters of natural resources within Kahuzi-Biega National Park. Sources indicate that many of them fled the area amidst the chaos, dispersing into other regions.

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