Breaking: Twirwaneho and M23/AFC-M23 seize Point Zéro in Sud-Kivu highlands
Minembwe, 6 July 2026 — The armed groups Twirwaneho and M23/AFC-M23, both part of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC-M23) coalition, have declared that they have captured the strategic Point Zéro position in the Itombwe sector, Mwenga territory in Sud-Kivu. According to their joint statement, this base served as a key stronghold for the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Armed Forces (FARDC), the Burundi National Defence Force (FDNB), and the Kinshasa-backed Wazalendo militias in the volatile highlands region. The area has been the scene of persistent clashes for months, with no official responses confirmed at the time of reporting.
The announcement came via a communiqué signed by Fidèle Rugabo, military spokesperson for Twirwaneho. The statement claims that their fighters launched a coordinated offensive on Saturday, 4 July, seizing Point Zéro after intense fighting lasting several hours.
Point Zéro falls to rebel forces
«Point Zéro is now under our control,» the communiqué declared, asserting that FARDC, Burundian troops, and Wazalendo militias had withdrawn from the base. Local sources reported heavy fighting in surrounding areas, particularly along routes connecting Mikenge, Kalongi, and Rubemba.
Residents in Minembwe expressed cautious optimism about the developments, hoping for a lull in violence after months of relentless conflict.
«We’ve lived in a cycle of attacks and displacement year after year. If this position truly has been taken, perhaps the fighting here will ease,» said a local resident who requested anonymity.
Multiple sources indicated that FARDC and FDNB forces may have abandoned several key positions—including Point Zéro, Mikenge, Kalongi, Rubemba, and Kakenge—retreating toward Mutambala, Mukera, and the neighboring Fizi territory. These claims remain unverified independently at this time.
Why Point Zéro is a critical battleground
The Point Zéro base sits within the Itombwe massif, one of the most contested military zones in the Sud-Kivu highlands. The position provides control over several strategic corridors linking Minembwe, Mikenge, Mwenga, and Fizi—a region where armed factions frequently clash over territorial dominance.
Since the M23/AFC-M23 withdrew from Uvira in January 2026, fighting has intensified across the highlands. The area has become a focal point for clashes between FARDC, Burundian forces, Wazalendo militias, and Twirwaneho, now allied with the AFC-M23 coalition.
Burundi’s military presence under bilateral agreement
The FDNB’s deployment in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is based on a bilateral security cooperation agreement between Gitega and Kinshasa, with both governments previously confirming its existence. According to a report from the Congolese Ministry of Interior and Security, over 29,000 Burundian soldiers were deployed in eastern DRC between August 2022 and December 2025.
Initially tasked with combating Burundian rebel groups such as RED-Tabara, the FDNB now participates in joint operations with FARDC against various armed factions active in eastern DRC. Recent months have seen troop redeployments in Mwenga, Fizi, and Uvira territories amid escalating clashes with the coalition and rebel groups.
A conflict fueled by regional rivalries
The crisis in eastern DRC continues to be shaped by deep-seated tensions among Great Lakes states. Kinshasa has repeatedly accused Kigali of supporting the M23/AFC-M23, a claim denied by Rwanda. In turn, Rwanda accuses FARDC of collaborating with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group composed largely of former Hutu extremists linked to the 1994 genocide against Tutsis.
Burundi has also accused Rwanda of backing hostile armed groups operating in eastern DRC, while Kigali has condemned Gitega’s cooperation with the FDLR and other regional armed factions.
Diplomatic efforts fail to halt rising violence
This latest development follows a series of diplomatic initiatives aimed at stabilizing eastern DRC. The Washington Accords signed on 27 June 2026 between Kinshasa and Kigali, under U.S. mediation, were intended to reduce hostilities and guide military disengagement. Yet, on-the-ground fighting has persisted, particularly in the Sud-Kivu highlands.
The region remains one of the most volatile in the Great Lakes area, where local rivalries, ethnic tensions, and geopolitical interests continue to fuel a complex and enduring conflict. At the time of publication, no official response from FARDC, FDNB, or Burundian authorities had been issued regarding the rebel groups’ claims.
