[REVISION HISTORY]

Escalating violence and political tension in eastern DRC

Updated 13 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-15 17:01 UTC → 2026-09-17 06:18 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In late August 2026, the DRC government and United Nations human rights experts reported widespread atrocities in territories occupied by the AFC/M23 and RDF coalition. Official data indicates that more than 300 people were killed through summary executions, massacres, and bombardments during June and July. The Ministry of Communication and Media also reported hundreds of cases of sexual violence, over 300 incidents of torture, kidnappings, and the forced recruitment of youth in areas such as Tshanzu and Rumangabo. UN experts described the situation as a ‘reign of terror,’ noting that sexual violence cases attributed to M23 more than doubled between 2024 and 2025. Beyond physical violence, authorities accused the group of destroying homes, seizing property, and imposing illegal taxes on the health and education sectors. In South Kivu, national deputies denounced a drone attack occurring between 18 and 19 August that targeted the MWAJ I. hotel in Fizi-Centre, resulting in three civilian injuries and property damage. By early September 2026, the conflict has triggered a massive influx of displaced persons in the Walikale territory of North Kivu, as populations flee combat in Masisi. Local leaders in Waloa Loanda report that the community is struggling to cope with the arrivals. Additionally, an armed clash between river patrols on the border with the Republic of the Congo has left two security personnel missing. By mid-September 2026, the humanitarian situation has deteriorated further. In South Kivu’s Fizi territory, civil society has issued an alert regarding a ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ in the High and Middle Plateaus. Renewed fighting between a coalition of the FARDC, Wazalendo, and Burundian forces against the AFC/M23-Twirwaneho movement has displaced approximately 41,952 people, leading to the closure of schools, paralyzed hospitals, and the suspension of humanitarian aid. OCHA reports that hundreds of thousands of people are displaced across the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu. In Ituri alone, over 312,900 displaced persons require urgent aid, while North Kivu continues to see new displacements due to persistent fighting in territories such as Masisi and Beni. South Kivu is also grappling with an escalating cholera outbreak, recording 1,696 cases in August. Military operations remain active. The FARDC, supported by Wazalendo, recently regained control of the strategic Miko hill in Masisi from AFC/M23 rebels. In South Kivu, the FARDC reported neutralizing four individuals identified as Rwandan special forces and securing the surrender of 14 combatants linked to M23 and Twirwaneho. While some movement has cautiously resumed on certain transport axes like Kashebere-Mungazi, the security situation remains highly unstable.

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