A period of relative peace seen in Minembwe in DR Congo in recent months is under threat as government coalition forces are said to be preparing to re-establish a blockade on the area in conflict-hit South Kivu province, where civilians had begun returning to their homes.

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Minembwe was liberated on July 20 by forces of Twirwaneho, a self-defence armed group allied to the AFC/M23, after the area had endured sustained attacks from forces aligned with Kinshasa, including air strikes and a months-long blockade.

The blockade had been in place since October 2025, with battalions of Burundian forces deployed around the plateaus surrounding Minembwe to restrict movement in and out of the area.

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The restrictions denied residents access to markets outside Minembwe and made it difficult to food, medicines and other basic necessities to reach the area.

Reports say the Kinshasa coalition is moving again towards Minembwe.

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Oscar Balinda, the AFC/M23 spokesperson, told The New Times that the forces involved include the Congolese army (FARDC), Burundian troops, Kinshasa-backed FDLR, foreign mercenaries, Wazalendo militias and other armed groups.

Fighting is currently reported around Mukoko, Nyaruhinga, Nyamagumba and Point Zero, a strategic area.

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"The situation around Minembwe has been dire since last week,” Balinda said, with the forces preparing to encircle it.

"It appears they want to retake Point Zero first, as it is the junction for all major roads and the site of a telecommunications tower; this is currently their primary target,” he added.

He said the forces were advancing from different directions, with some moving from Uvira towards the high plateaus while others were approaching through Mukoko and Nyaruhinga towards Point Zero.

"Their objective is to reach Minembwe, recapture it and destroy it completely,” he said.

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FDLR fueling the conflict

The renewed offensive is also taking place against the backdrop of what Balinda described as the rearming of the FDLR despite announced disarmament commitments by Kinshasa.

Balinda said the militia had instead been strengthening its forces and sending fighters to training centres.

"FDLR and DR Congo announced they signed the sham protocol promising disarmament,” said Balinda, "instead, they have been rearming, bolstering their strength, and sending fighters to training centres led by experienced instructors.”

"The FDLR along with the P5 has regained prominence in the prepared attacks, energized by their alliance with the Burundians whose battalions are being deployed in the high plateaus, they claim they are now ready to finish the job,” Balinda said.

He further noted that their objective was to eliminate Banyamulenge and other Tutsis communities in Minembwe and later attack the AFC/M23 to drive them from Goma.

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Fighting continues despite ceasefire mechanism

The renewed fighting comes after AFC/M23 and Kinshasa representatives held a five-day retreat in Switzerland from August 17-21. The meeting was followed by the decision to establish a ceasefire verification mission in Minembwe. The first verification team visited the area on August 25.

Balinda said the team was shown the destruction left by previous attacks, including hospitals, schools, churches and civilian homes.

"We demonstrated that we are the ones currently present and maintaining security, which is why the residents have returned,” he said.

The team then left to prepare its report for the mediators.

"They will submit their reports to the mediators, and we are now waiting for the mediators to invite us so we can review the findings together,” Balinda said.

He said the mediators had not yet invited AFC/M23 to review the findings but that the movement was ready to respond if called.

Balinda said the verification mission was a practical step in implementing the ceasefire.

"The only progress is that matters have moved from theory to practice. Things have shifted from paper to action, essentially the roadmap that was discussed following the meeting,” he said.

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However, fighting has continued.

"Violations are continuing at Point Zero, in Minembwe, and elsewhere,” Balinda said.

He said the verification team should establish what had happened on the ground and determine who was responsible for violating the ceasefire.

"What we expect from the ceasefire verification team is for them to gather all evidence of ceasefire violations and present it to the mediator, so we can determine exactly who is violating the ceasefire and be held responsible,” he said.

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Nangaa warns of worsening humanitarian situation

AFC/M23 political coordinator Corneille Nangaa also warned on September 14 that the humanitarian situation in Minembwe was deteriorating.

Nangaa said the prolonged blockade and obstacles to humanitarian assistance had deprived thousands of civilians of food, medicines and other necessities.

"I hold the illegitimate and corrupt regime in Kinshasa responsible for this war crime that systematically and specifically targets the Tutsi community, Banyamulenge,” he said.

"There is urgency!... The lives of the people of the highlands are being put in danger by [President] Félix Tshisekedi.. No military or political consideration can justify depriving women, men, and children of food and care,” Nangaa said.

He called for humanitarian corridors to be guaranteed and appealed to Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, who is also the current chairperson of the African Union to intervene.

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Mahoro Peace Association, a Banyamulenge organization based in US, issued an alert on September 21 over an increasing risk of mass atrocities against Banyamulenge civilians.

The organisation said several villages around Minembwe had come under coordinated attacks involving artillery and drones.

It listed Mukoko, Nyaruhinga, Gipimo, Nzahaha, Rugezi, Nyagishasha, Timbyangoma and Biziba among the affected areas.

"Newly acquired and increasingly sophisticated weapons, including high-precision drones, raise particular alarm. These capabilities can be used to target Banyamulenge-populated areas and destroy civilian infrastructure: homes, schools, health facilities and other essential services,” the group said.

"Minembwe and surrounding communities are becoming increasingly isolated... The combination of attacks, displacement, advanced weaponry and restricted humanitarian access constitutes a grave early-warning indicator of potential mass atrocities.”

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AFC/M23 remain committed to talks

Balinda however noted that negotiations remain an option for the movement.

"We remain committed to negotiations, even as the Kinshasa administration continues to resist them...As for us, our preference remains sitting down at the negotiating table; however, if they choose paths other than dialogue, we are ready for that as well,” he said.

"The residents of Minembwe are fearful and deeply anxious about the prospect of another attack, yet they have no other option; this is their home and their ancestral land, and they will not abandon it,” Balinda said.