AFC/M23: Burundian troops still in South Kivu
AFC/M23 coalition says that although many Burundian soldiers have returned to their country, others have refused to withdraw from Congolese territory and continue to establish bases in the high mountains of South Kivu undermining efforts to restore peace.
The claims were made in a statement issued on Thursday, 11 December 2025, a day after the group captured the city of Uvira.
Uvira fell following heavy clashes between AFC/M23 fighters and forces loyal to the Kinshasa government, in battles that involved a significant number of Burundian troops.
AFC/M23 said: “Although many members of the Burundi National Defence Forces (FNDB) have gone back to their country, some of these foreign soldiers have entrenched themselves in the highlands of South Kivu and refused to leave Congolese soil, despite widespread calls for peace in the region.”
The statement, signed by the group’s political spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka, added that on Thursday morning some of these Burundian soldiers who refused to withdraw had launched attacks against Congolese Tutsi civilians from the Banyamulenge community in Minembwe.
According to Kanyuka, the Burundian troops used heavy weapons during the assault, resulting in the deaths of many innocent civilians, including women and children.
The coalition reiterated that it remains committed to its mission of protecting and defending civilians, a principle it described as non-negotiable.
It also renewed its call on the Government of Burundi to urgently repatriate all its soldiers currently operating on the territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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