Fresh fighting has intensified in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as the AFC/M23 coalition rejected reports claiming it had lost several strategic areas in Masisi Territory to Congolese government forces and allied Wazalendo militias.
The renewed clashes are taking place near Rubaya, a mineral-rich town in North Kivu known for its vast coltan deposits and its strategic importance in the ongoing conflict.
On Friday, pro-Kinshasa media outlets, including ACTUALITE.CD, reported that the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), backed by Wazalendo fighters, had captured Kabobi and Kinigi from AFC/M23 forces.
The reports further claimed that AFC/M23 combatants had retreated toward Rubaya after intense fighting in the Katoyi sector of Masisi Territory.
AFC/M23 officials quickly dismissed those claims, accusing government-aligned media of spreading misinformation intended to create confusion about the situation on the ground.
North Kivu Vice Governor Ngarambe Manzi Willy also rejected the reports in a statement posted on X.
“Mwaduteye mwishyize hamwe, ariko muzatatana mufite ubwoba. Inzozi zanyu zapfubye zitaranatangira. Ikinyoma kibashyigikiye kizagwa, kandi amahoro azongera kuganza muri Congo,” he wrote.
Sources from Masisi indicated that AFC/M23 fighters were still present in Kinigi and Kibabi by late Friday, despite government claims that the areas had fallen under FARDC control.
Heavy exchanges of gunfire were reported in Chugi, Kavuta and on hills overlooking Kinigi, while additional clashes were reported along the Gashovu-Mahiga-Nzingati-Mayuwano axis.
Residents described hearing sustained explosions from both light and heavy weapons throughout the day as thousands of civilians fled the combat zones with their families.
On May 21, 2026, AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka accused FARDC and Wazalendo fighters of launching coordinated attacks in the Katoyi sector beginning at dawn.
He also stated that similar offensives had already been carried out on May 19 around Mitimingi and nearby villages, warning that continued military escalation risked worsening instability across the region.
The humanitarian situation in Masisi continues to deteriorate as civilians abandon farms, businesses and livestock in search of safer areas.
Rubaya remains at the center of the conflict because of its lucrative mining sector. AFC/M23 has controlled the town since May 2024 after forcing out FARDC troops, Burundian forces and Wazalendo fighters who had previously overseen mining activities there.
Earlier in February 2026, government forces and allied militias launched another major offensive aimed at retaking Rubaya, but AFC/M23 managed to repel the assault after days of fighting.
That battle resulted in the death of former AFC/M23 military spokesperson Lt Col Willy Ngoma and several of his bodyguards.
As fighting continues around Rubaya, concerns are mounting over civilian casualties and the worsening humanitarian crisis in North Kivu.
