DR Congo Forces Accused of Atrocities Against Banyamulenge

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DR Congo Forces Accused of Atrocities Against Banyamulenge
DR Congo Forces Accused of Atrocities Against Banyamulenge

Africa-Press – Rwanda. The AFC/M23 movement on Thursday, August 28, reported a renewed wave of attacks targeting the “Banyamulenge compatriots” in South Kivu, urging both national and international stakeholders to take action against ongoing “ethnic cleansing”.

In a statement posted on X, the movement’s spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka, said that forces of Kinshasa, supported by foreign mercenaries, the genocidal militia FDLR, Burundian troops, Mai Mai and Wazalendo militias, “have relentlessly bombarded” the densely populated areas of Minembwe (Mikenke) and Kalehe, including Katana, Kavumu, Katasomwa, Nyabibwe, and their surroundings.

According to him, the assaults are being carried out “using CH-4 drones, kamikaze drones and heavy artillery.”

M23 noted that the current strikes follow earlier offensives between August 26 and 27, during which the Congolese army and its allied forces reportedly launched coordinated attacks on Banyamulenge villages in Rugezi and Minembwe, in the Fizi highlands of South Kivu Province.

MISE À JOUR DE CE MERCREDI 27 AOÛT 2025 pic.twitter.com/0uSbPiFuD4

— Lawrence KANYUKA (@LawrenceKanyuka) August 27, 2025

“These attacks killed and displaced many civilians, and created an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, compelling AFC forces to intervene to protect defenceless populations,” Kanyuka said.

Kanyuka condemned what he termed the “complicit silence” of both national and international actors, warning that the violence amounts to an ethnic cleansing campaign.

“The Alliance Fleuve Congo condemns the silence of the national and international community and reaffirms its unwavering commitment to defend and protect civilian populations from this existential threat, whatever its source,” he declared.

He further emphasized that the operations are “systematically planned and carried out with complete impunity,” adding that institutions mandated to uphold human rights have failed to act.

The movement also accused the Kinshasa government of repeatedly violating ceasefire commitments, warning that such actions undermine the Doha peace process. M23 reaffirmed its stance that it will continue to “defend the civilian population” against ongoing attacks.

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