Death toll from clashes between the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and thier Wazalendo militia allies in Uvira, South Kivu, on November 23, has risen to 11, according to latest reports. Calm returned to Uvira on Tuesday, November 25, after two days of intense fighting, but residents remain shaken by the violence that erupted from a dispute during a World Food Programme (WFP) aid distribution exercise over the weekend. ALSO READ: Kinshasa's deceptive strategy: The rise of Wazalendo and the urgency for M23 to act According to local accounts, the confrontation began near the Catholic Cathedral in Uvira, where WFP teams were distributing food assistance to vulnerable households. Wazalendo militias reportedly attempted to forcibly seize part of the supplies meant for crisis-affected families triggering a violent standoff that rapidly escalated into an exchange of fire. Reports now indicate that initial confrontation resulted in nine deaths and two injuries, on Sunday, followed by two more fatalities and two additional injuries on Monday as the hostilities spread across the city. The victims include FARDC soldiers and Wazalendo fighters. As reported, the violence was rooted not only in the dispute over food aid but in a deeper leadership struggle and rising mistrust between FARDC and Wazalendo.
