Congo War Security Review

Data Cutoff: December 22, 2025, at 1 P.M. EST

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Key Takeaway: Fighting continued on the frontline south of Uvira town in Fizi district in South Kivu. The Congolese army and pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters attacked M23 around the Kahuzi-Biega National Park in Kalehe and Kabare districts in South Kivu. Wazalendo fighters attacked M23 near the RP1030 in eastern Masisi district in North 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

Fighting continued on the frontline south of Uvira town in Fizi district in South Kivu. M23 reportedly clashed with the Congolese army (FARDC) and pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters between Makobola and Munene villages on the RN5 on December 21 and 22.[i] Munene is about 12 miles north of Mboko town and 15 miles south of Uvira on the RN5. Wazalendo fighters reportedly attacked M23 and retook a few villages on the RN5, before M23 pushed Wazalendos back to Munene on December 22.[ii]

The FARDC and Wazalendo fighters attacked M23 around the Kahuzi-Biega National Park in Kalehe and Kabare districts in South Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Radio Maedeleo reported that Wazalendo fighters attacked M23 in Mulangala locality—roughly five miles northwest of Kavumu airport on the RN2—on the eastern edge of Kahuzi-Biega in Kabare district on December 21.[iii] Wazalendo fighters have attacked M23 frequently in villages bordering the park for several months. The FARDC and Wazalendo fighters reportedly recaptured several villages, including Katasomwa, on the northern tip of Kahuzi-Biega in southern Kalehe district on December 21, after launching an offensive on M23 in this area around December 18.[iv]

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani  

Wazalendo fighters attacked M23 near the RP1030 in eastern Masisi district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Kivu Morning Post reported that Wazalendo fighters attacked M23 on the outskirts of Mweso in Mbuhi village near the RP1030 on December 22.[v] Mweso is about 11 miles north of Kitchanga on the RP1030. Wazalendo fighters last clashed with M23 near Mweso in mid-November.[vi]

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu  

Nothing significant to report.  

Major Political Developments  

Nothing significant to report.

Data Cutoff: December 19, 2025, at 1 P.M. EST

To receive the Africa File and Congo War Security Review via email, please subscribe here.  

Follow CTP on X, LinkedIn, and BlueSky for daily updates.  

Read CTP’s latest analysis on the war in the eastern DRC in the weekly Africa File here.    

Key Takeaway: Uganda plans to host a regional peace and security conference on December 21. M23 withdrew unilaterally from Uvira town in South Kivu. M23 clashed with the Congolese army and pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters on the frontline south of Uvira town. Pro-Congolese government forces allegedly bombed an M23-controlled area in the South Kivu highlands.

Kinetic Activity in M23-Controlled Areas    

M23 clashed with pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters in Rutshuru district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Actualite.cd reported that M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters in three villages in Bukombo group, including Mashango, in the Bwito chiefdom in western Rutshuru on December 16 and 17.[i] Mashango is roughly 15 miles north of Kitchanga town on the RP1030 in Masisi district on local roads. Actualite.cd reported that the clashes took place as M23 conducted a search operation for Wazalendo fighters in the area.[ii] M23 has clashed with Wazalendos frequently in Bukumbo in December but reportedly launched new operations on December 15.[iii]

Northern Axis: Lubero-Butembo-Beni-Bunia  

Nothing significant to report.  

Southern Axis: Bukavu-Uvira-Baraka-Kalemie

M23 withdrew unilaterally from Uvira town in South Kivu. Corneille Nangaa, the head of M23’s political branch, Alliance Fleuve Congo, had announced that the rebel group would leave Uvira in a statement on December 15.[iv] The British news outlet Financial Times cited an insider source on December 16 who said that the announcement came after the United States made a “high-level” call to Rwandan President Paul Kagame.[v] M23 withdrew most of its forces from Uvira on December 16 and 17.[vi] The group reportedly deployed “dozens” of police officers in Uvira on December 17, however.[vii] The South Kivu government spokesperson claimed on December 18 that some M23 elements remained “disguised as civilians” in Uvira and Kiliba town—about eight miles north of Uvira on the RN5.[viii] Locals said that some M23 military vehicles were still circulating in Uvira on December 19.[ix]

M23 clashed with the Congolese army (FARDC) and Wazalendo fighters on the frontline south of Uvira town. M23 had advanced about nine miles south of the Kalundu port in Uvira on the RN5 and captured Makobola and Kasekesi villages on December 14.[x] The fall of Kasekesi marked M23’s first territorial capture in Fizi district. M23 reportedly clashed with FARDC and Wazalendo fighters in several localities around Makobola in an attempt to break through enemy positions on December 16 and 17.[xi] The Congolese media outlet Tazama RDC reported on December 18 that FARDC special forces and a small number of Wazalendo fighters blocked M23’s advance at Kasekesi.[xii] The M23 spokesperson claimed on social media on December 19 that pro-Congolese government forces attacked M23 in Makobola using attack drones and via Lake Tanganyika.[xiii]

Pro-Congolese government forces allegedly bombed an M23-controlled area in the South Kivu highlands. M23 and pro-M23 sources claimed on social media that pro-Congolese government forces bombed Mikenge village, about 15 miles north of Minembwe town in Fizi district on the RP527, using attack drones and heavy artillery on December 19.[xiv] The FARDC has reportedly bombed M23-aligned militia positions in the highlands around Minembwe at least five times since December 12.[xv]

M23-aligned militia fighters captured several villages near Minembwe. M23-aligned Twirwaneho militia fighters reportedly captured three villages near Minembwe on December 18.[xvi] CTP is unable to verify the precise location of the villages. Twirwaneho fighters have captured multiple villages in the Minembwe highlands since the FARDC and Burundian troops withdrew from the area when M23 captured Uvira town on December 10.

Pro-Congolese government forces attacked M23 in southern Kalehe district in South Kivu. FARDC-Wazalendo fighters reportedly attacked M23 using light and heavy weaponry in Katasomwa village in southern Kalehe on December 19.[xvii]  Katasomwa is located on the northern tip of the Kahuzi-Biega National Park. M23 had captured Katasomwa in late April.[xviii]

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani  

Wazalendo fighters repelled an M23 attack north of Nyabiondo in Masisi district in North Kivu. Actualite.cd reported that Wazalendo fighters repelled an M23 attack in an attempt to recapture Kinyumba village, about three miles north of Nyabiondo on a local road, on December 18.[xix] Wazalendo fighters had repelled at least two previous M23 attempts to retake the village since Wazalendos captured it in late November.[xx]

M23 repelled Wazalendo attacks north of the RP1030 in Walikale district in North Kivu. Actualite.cd reported that M23 repelled Wazalendo attacks on its positions in two villages in the Kisimba group, including Ihula, on December 17.[xxi] Ihula is about six miles northeast of Kalembe village on the RP1030 in Masisi district on local roads. Wazalendo fighters have clashed with M23 on at least two other occasions in Ihula in December.[xxii]

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu  

M23 clashed with Wazalendo fighters near Nzibira in southern Kabare district in South Kivu. Tazama RDC reported that M23 clashed with Wazalendos in the Luhago group in the Ninjda chiefdom in southern Kabare on December 17.[xxiii] The Luhago group is in a remote area roughly eight miles north of Nzibira in Walungu on a local road. M23 last clashed with Wazalendo fighters in Luhago in mid-November.[xxiv]

Major Political Developments  

Uganda plans to host a regional peace and security conference on December 21. Uganda will host a high-level summit for heads of state in the Great Lakes and representatives from regional blocs to discuss the security crisis in the eastern DRC on December 21.[xxv] The Congolese media outlet 7SUR7.CD reported that Uganda scheduled the conference at the request of the Congolese government.[xxvi] A senior Ugandan official said that the main objective of the conference is to deescalate regional tensions, following the fall of Uvira in early December.[xxvii]

Data Cutoff: December 17, 2025, at 1 P.M. EST  

To receive the Africa File and Congo War Security Review via email, please subscribe here.  

Follow CTP on X, LinkedIn, and BlueSky for daily updates.

Read CTP’s breakdown of the fall of Uvira in What M23's Capture of Uvira Means for the DRC, Wider Region, and Peace Talks: Africa File Special Edition.

Read CTP’s latest analysis on the war in the eastern DRC in the weekly Africa File here.    

Key Takeaway: M23 announced a unilateral withdrawal from Uvira town in South Kivu. M23 recaptured several villages in north-central Masisi district in North 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

Nothing significant to report.  

Northwest Axis: Masisi-Walikale-Lubutu-Kisangani  

M23 recaptured several villages in north-central Masisi district in North Kivu. The Congolese media outlet Kivu Morning Post reported that M23 recaptured three villages from pro-Congolese government Wazalendo fighters in the Bashali chiefdom in Masisi on December 16.[i] CTP is unable to verify the location of the villages. The Bashali chiefdom is in the northern part of Masisi, located between the RP529 and the section of the RP1030 that borders Walikale district.[ii]

Southwest Axis: Bukavu-Kamituga-Shabunda-Kindu  

Nothing significant to report.  

Major Political Developments  

M23 announced a unilateral withdrawal from Uvira town in South Kivu. Corneille Nangaa, the head of M23’s political branch, Alliance Fleuve Congo, said that M23 committed to unilaterally withdraw from Uvira in a statement on December 15.[iii] Nangaa called the move a “unilateral trust-building measure” and a sign of its commitment to “give Doha the maximum chance to succeed.”[iv] Nangaa said that M23 made the decision to withdraw in response to a request from the United States.[v] Nangaa called on the United States and the “guarantors of the peace process” to “demilitarize” Uvira, protect locals and infrastructure, and deploy a “neutral force” that will monitor a ceasefire before M23 forces withdraw.[vi] The M23 military spokesperson told Reuters on December 17 that M23 was “ready to leave [Uvira], but our conditions have to be reviewed” first.[vii]