A military operation aimed at taking control of Minembwe suffered a major reversal after forces aligned with the Congolese government were pushed back by a coordinated counteroffensive launched by AFC/M23 and Twirwaneho fighters.
The latest clashes unfolded in the highlands of South Kivu, where government troops and allied armed groups had advanced steadily toward Minembwe, one of the most strategically significant areas in the region.
Days before the setback, military officials from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) had announced that government forces, supported by local allies, had secured Minembwe.
The statement was issued by Lt. Reagan Mbuyi Kalonji, spokesperson for military operations in South Kivu, who said FARDC and its partners, including Wazalendo fighters, FDLR elements, and Burundian troops, had taken control of the area.
Events on the ground, however, soon painted a different picture.
Armed units identified as Hiboux and Serpent Noirs had advanced to within roughly five kilometers of Minembwe’s administrative center, raising expectations that government-backed forces were close to achieving a decisive breakthrough.
The situation changed dramatically during the night when reinforcements linked to AFC/M23 reportedly arrived from Goma. Their arrival strengthened Twirwaneho positions and helped organize a coordinated response across several contested locations.
Heavy fighting subsequently erupted around Ilundu, Bidegu, Gakenke and the strategically important hill of Ruhinamavi, a position that had repeatedly changed hands during previous engagements.
According to Twirwaneho military spokesperson Colonel Rugabo Fidèle, government-aligned troops had managed to hold Ruhinamavi for nearly two days after a prolonged battle.
He explained that the hill had been fiercely contested, with both sides repeatedly advancing and retreating as they struggled for control.
The counteroffensive launched on Friday morning reportedly shifted momentum in favor of AFC/M23 and Twirwaneho forces. By midday, government troops and allied fighters were being forced out of several frontline positions, including Buhimba, Harera, Ruhinamavi and Bidegu.
Reports from the battlefield indicate that retreating forces crossed the Lwiko River before regrouping around Mutunda, an area described as one of their previous defensive positions.
The operation also reportedly resulted in the capture of a significant number of combatants. Sources close to the battlefield claimed that those detained included FARDC soldiers, Wazalendo fighters and Burundian troops who had participated in the offensive.
Additional reports suggested that more than thirty members of the Hiboux unit were captured during the fighting, alongside eight foreign mercenaries described as Western nationals.
The latest developments underscore the continuing volatility of the Minembwe region, where military control remains fluid and heavily dependent on battlefield outcomes. Despite earlier declarations of victory, the renewed fighting demonstrated that no side has yet secured uncontested authority over the area.
As confrontations continue across South Kivu, Minembwe remains one of the most fiercely contested territories, reflecting the broader struggle for influence and territorial control in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
