On Monday, the M23 group strongly condemned what it described as “terrorist attacks” carried out by a coalition including the DRC Armed Forces (FARDC), Burundi’s FDNB, and the Rwandan genocidal militia FDLR against civilians from the Banyamulenge community in South Kivu.
Spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said these assaults occurred between May 23 and 29, targeting densely populated areas in South Kivu provincial zones.
He reported that in the Rugezi area, FDLR, FARDC, and Burundi’s forces based in Kizura and Rulenge executed deadly attacks that took civilian lives.
Additional offensives targeted Mikenke, Kalingi, Bijabo, and Bibokoboko, carried out by Wazalendo militias operating from Kipupu and Zéro, often with Burundi’s troops in tandem.
Kanyuka revealed that these attacks resulted in many civilian deaths and the displacement of countless people. He did not elaborate on any M23 counteraction or rescue operation for the Banyamulenge, though M23 continues to clash with the coalition forces across several South Kivu territories.
