M23 rebels dispute control of Minembwe in eastern DRC

The MRDP‑Twirwaneho movement denied recent claims by the Democratic Republic of Congo’s armed forces (FARDC) that they had recaptured Minembwe‑Centre in South‑Kivu. In a 19 June statement, spokesperson Adolphe Mundeke asserted that the locality remains fully under the control of the AFC‑M23‑MRDP‑Twirwaneho coalition, claiming the two‑week offensive by forces allied with Kinshasa failed to achieve its objectives and resulted in significant FARDC losses and prisoners.

At a press conference in Goma on 18 June, AFC/M23 political coordinator Corneille Nangaa accused the Kinshasa government of repeatedly violating the cease‑fire and imposing a long‑standing blockade on the Haut Plateau of Fizi. He reported that humanitarian aid routes are cut, civilians lack food and medicines, and drone and ground attacks on villages have intensified, citing a deadly ambush on 4 June and drone bombings on 6‑7 June. Nangaa emphasized the group’s willingness to pursue peace through dialogue but warned that its patience is not limitless.