Fresh fears are spreading across the city of Uvira in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after a FARDC soldier was shot dead during the night of Thursday to Friday, May 22, 2026, in the Kasenga area of South Kivu Province.
Local sources say the soldier was allegedly killed by Wazalendo fighters, armed groups that have been operating alongside the Congolese army in military operations across eastern Congo. Although military authorities have not officially released his identity, reports circulating among residents and on social media suggest the victim may have been a member of the Banyamulenge community.
Witnesses who reportedly saw images of the deceased soldier claimed his appearance led many to believe he was Banyamulenge, a detail that immediately fueled anxiety among Banyamulenge families living in Uvira and surrounding areas.
The killing comes at a time when insecurity and ethnic tensions continue to intensify in parts of South Kivu controlled by FARDC and its allied armed groups, including Wazalendo, FDLR, and Burundian troops deployed in ongoing operations.
Over the past several years, repeated allegations have emerged claiming that Banyamulenge serving in Congolese state institutions, especially within the national army, have been targeted, attacked, or even killed because of their identity or suspected links to armed movements opposed to the government in Kinshasa.
Security analysts argue that the Banyamulenge crisis in South Kivu is rooted in decades of disputes over land ownership, citizenship, political representation, and the presence of numerous armed factions in the region. Those tensions have contributed to deep mistrust and a growing sense of isolation among many Banyamulenge civilians and soldiers alike.
Residents in Uvira say the situation has deteriorated further since joint military operations involving FARDC, Wazalendo fighters, and Burundian troops intensified in the area. Instead of restoring calm, many civilians claim insecurity has worsened significantly.
Several residents allege that people merely suspected of having ties to Banyamulenge communities or opposition armed groups are increasingly being hunted down, arrested, or attacked. Reports of robberies, looting, nighttime violence, and harassment by armed men have also become more frequent in recent weeks.
Uvira, located near Lake Tanganyika and close to the Burundi border, has become one of the strategic centers of military activity linked to the ongoing conflict between FARDC and the AFC/M23 alliance. Its geographic importance has made it a key hotspot in the broader instability affecting eastern Congo.
While Congolese authorities insist that cooperation between FARDC and Wazalendo is intended to combat AFC/M23 and MRDP-Twirwaneho forces and restore peace, local residents continue to accuse allied fighters of abuses against civilians, including killings, beatings, looting, and property seizures.
So far, neither the Congolese government nor FARDC officials have officially confirmed details surrounding the soldier’s death or identified those responsible. Nevertheless, sources from Uvira say fear and uncertainty are rapidly growing, especially among Kinyamulenge-speaking communities and families with relatives serving in the Congolese military.
Observers monitoring security developments in South Kivu warn that unless urgent measures are taken to protect civilians and prevent violence driven by ethnic suspicion, tensions could escalate further in a region already marked by decades of conflict and instability.
