Heavy military preparations continue to be observed in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where over 7,000 FARDC soldiers, backed by a coalition of forces not yet publicly identified, were recently deployed to Kalemie, the capital of Tanganyika Province. Their planned destination is Uvira, in South Kivu, near the borders with Rwanda and Burundi.
This visible step has raised many questions: “Is this the beginning of a major offensive aimed at retaking the cities of Bukavu and Goma, currently under threat or partial control by M23/AFC?”
According to a report from mediacongo.net, the deployment of troops via Kalemie — located in the southern part of the conflict zone — indicates a new strategy using alternate routes, unlike the now-inaccessible path through North Kivu.
The Uvira-Fizi corridor, long plagued by insecurity, is now reportedly being used as a rear base for regrouping troops and launching possible military operations in the Hauts-Plateaux and along the Bukavu-Goma axis.
According to military sources cited by RFI and TV5 Monde, this movement of troops and equipment is part of a broader strategy to gradually reclaim territory and push back the frontlines held by M23, which has gained strength in recent months.
On the battlefield, M23-AFC, accused of receiving military and logistical support from Rwanda, continues to regroup and reinforce its positions in Rutshuru, Masisi, and the outskirts of Sake, while intensifying its attacks in the south.
In a recent statement, the AFC/M23 coalition condemned the “massive deployment of war weapons by FARDC” along multiple frontlines and warned that a major war could erupt at any moment.
All this comes as both sides enter a new round of peace talks expected to de-escalate the conflict and restore peace in eastern Congo.
