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”. Mise à jour de ce jeudi 28 août 2025. L’Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) alerte la communauté nationale et internationale sur l’épuration ethnique en cours de nos compatriotes Banyamulenge. Depuis la nuit du mercredi 27 août 2025, les forces coalisées du régime de Kinshasa... — Lawrence KANYUKA (@LawrenceKanyuka) August 28, 2025 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.” ALSO READ: AFC/M23 leader Corneille Nangaa states four reasons why his movement is fighting Tshisekedi govt 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. ALSO READ: FDLR still fights alongside DR Congo army - new report “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. ALSO READ: AFC/M23 delegation 'not in Doha to negotiate peace deal' 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. Peacebuilding organisation raises alarm: On the same day, Mahoro Peace Association, an organisation that supports peacebuilding, victims of armed conflict, and displaced people in eastern DR Congo, raised alarm over the targeted drone strikes and coordinated attacks on Banyamulenge civilians in Uvira, calling for an urgent response. The association said the assaults occurred in the early hours of August 28, when drone strikes hit Banyamulenge civilians as well as their social and economic facilities in Rugezi, south of Minembwe. “The attack was carried out by foreign mercenaries supporting a coalition of FARDC (the Congolese army), Burundian forces, FDLR rebels, and Wazalendo militias under the command of William Amuri Yakutumba,” the statement read. It added that telecommunications in Minembwe were deliberately cut prior to the strike, creating a total blackout. Shortly after, coordinated assaults were launched on Banyamulenge villages in Mikenge and Kahololo, pointing to a broader campaign targeting Banyamulenge communities across the region.
