M23 enters Bukavu,Prisoners evade the central prison of Bukavu!

 A new setback for the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC). OnFriday, February 14, the M23 rebels, supported by the Rwandan armed forces, took full control of Kavumu airport, located 30 km from Bukavu, the provincial capital of South Kivu.

Control of Kavumu airport, the second largest in Greater Kivu after Goma, strengthens the position of the rebels, who continued their advance in the Kabare territory. According to information from the city of Kabamba, in the Irhambi Katana group, the rebels, accompanied by their Rwandan allies,penetrated the Kabare territory.

"The M23 and their allies invaded Kavumu airport after a calm crossing from Katana to Kavumu, without major clashes," indicates our local sources.

On  Thursday 13 February, the FARDC and their allies put up fierce resistance to the rebels who were already trying to seize the airport. However, according to the same sources, no confrontation took place between the two camps in the Kavumu area.

“The FARDC withdrew voluntarily to avoid endangering the lives of the local population,” said a witness.

After having already taken control of the Goma airport in North Kivu, the M23 rebels now control two essential airport infrastructures in the region.

“With this takeover, the M23 is extending its influence over South Kivu, making it even more difficult to re-establish state authority,” said an analyst of the situation on the ground.

After the battle to take over kavumu,numerous advance teams of M23 started thorough sorrounding in the outskirts of Bukavu,by exactly 08:45 PM (09:45PM east African time).the M23 had fully entered the city of Bukavu.The administration of Bukavu, including the gorvenor of South Kivu have since Wednesday transferred their administrative offices to uvira.It worth noting that the mighty lions of sarambwe are also ready to March for the capture and liberation of Uvira,I know that you cannot comprehend this but that is the reality.The extension to uvira will explode and make the make the war enormous.The administration in katanga is calling people to be vigilant .The FARDC is leaving minus fighting and various opinionists in DRC are in confusion of who is ordering FARDC not to fight.

Numerous Prisoners have fleed the prison of Bukavu after the m23 entered the city.

Due to widespread looting and robbery that occurred last night,the M23 gave a warning to all those taking advantage  of their advance and get involved in crimes,it went as follows:

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE OF FEBRUARY 14, 2025 

"The Congo River Alliance (AFC/M23) informs residents of the city of Bukavu and its surroundings that any person who finds themselves in the following cases will be considered a bandit: 1. Carrying weapons and/or any other military equipment; 2. Urban theft and nasty destructions; 3. Looting of Kiosks, shops, third party deposits; 4. Identity theft to steal third party vehicles; 5. Cache of Soldiers or people called Muzalendo: 6. Weapons cache and/or war ammunition We firmly condemn the criminal acts of looting on the evening of this Friday, February 14, 2025 on industrial avenue and announce that the Congo River Alliance (AFC/M23) will not tolerate these acts of sabotage intended to weaken the economy of the inhabitants of the liberated areas Determined to restore order and not having prisons or dungeons, an informed, half-witted man is enough."

Last evening the FARDC ,wazalendo and burundian forces were seen vacating the city of Bukavu at a terrible speed.The administration of Bukavu including the gorvenor also fled Bukavu.

According to our intelligence collections and information from the M23 intelligence,the M23 is in an operation  around the city to ensure that the civilians and their property are secured from vandals and bad omens of the indisciplined members of FARDC who may be hiding within civilians.From the information collected from civilians in Bukavu,they reveal that they have been shocked to hear that the gorvenor escaped on Wednesday evening to Uvira yet he has been decieving them that the situation is under control.

Will schools in Goma open tomorrow?

Several schools are expected to reopen their doors as of Monday 10/2/25, as well as in management offices not affected by the latest armed clashes. According to Proved, this decision is the result of discussions with "the Higher Hierarchy of EDU-NC (National Education and New Citizenship) based in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

However, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating day by day, because humanitarian aid is not arriving in the city, with all the main access routes to the city being cut off, including Goma airport. At the joint summit of the Central and Eastern African Communities (EAC and SADEC) on Saturday 8/2/25, in Tanzania, representatives of different countries present opted in particular for the reopening of Goma airport to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.

Did M23 give the internally displaced people an ultimatum of 72 hours to Leave Their Camps ?

The leaders of the Mugunga and Nzulo camps for displaced persons are concerned about the ultimatum given to them by the Congo River Alliance (AFC)/M23 regime. They must leave their camps within 72 hours. The displaced persons will have to return to their places of origin, according to information gathered from concordant sources.

This situation deeply worries the president of the Karisimbi civil society, Christian Kalamo, who was alerted by the representatives of the displaced persons.

According to Christian Kalamo, the return of these populations to their villages is practically impossible in the current state of affairs. "During the war, several houses were destroyed and these localities are nothing more than bush, particularly in Rutshuru, Shasha, Malehe and Bashali Mokoto. In addition, the roads leading to these villages have become impassable,” he explains.

A return fraught with pitfalls

Leaving Mugunga for Rutshuru, Bwiko or Kitchanga requires enormous efforts and resources that the displaced persons do not have. “We are launching an urgent appeal to the national government in Kinshasa, to international and national organizations so that they guarantee the safety of these populations. If they must leave the camps, it must be done with dignity,” insists Christian Kalamo.

Beyond the logistical challenges, mortal dangers await these displaced persons in their villages of origin. “Some places are still infested with explosive devices, abandoned weapons and ammunition. Sending them back to these environments is exposing them to certain danger, especially children,” he warns.

Faced with the emergency, Christian Kalamo calls for the responsibility of the Congolese government, humanitarian organizations, SADC, EAC, the European Union and the international community. "These displaced people are neither prepared nor able to ensure their own return. Giving them only 72 hours to evacuate is inhumane. A minimum of respect for human rights is essential," he insists.

While uncertainty hangs over the fate of these thousands of families, it is now the responsibility of the national and international community to face up to its responsibilities to avoid an additional humanitarian crisis in this region already tested by years of conflict.

Corneille Naanga of M23/AFC wrote to SADC and EAC

 

FARDC MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN TERRORISING PEOPLE IN KAVUMU HAVE BEEN SENTT TO JAIL IN BUKAVU

 Some elements of the armed forces of the DRC as well as Wazalendo fighters accused of being behind the scenes of looting and killings on the road to Kavumu in South Kivu have been arrested.

The latter, transported in a truck and disarmed, were jailed in the central prison of Bukavu.

The inhabitants in the area have expressed their suffering for almost three days in a row from these cases of extortion, gunshots and various forms of intimidation on the part of these few undisciplined elements, before they were controlled by disciplined soldiers.

Sources on site in Kavumu indicate that the situation remained calm all day this Sunday, February 9.

Decomposing dead bodies scare off farmers in the territory of nyiragongo

Farmers in the Nyiragongo territory, in the province of North Kivu, say they cannot access their fields because of the decomposing bodies that are still on the roads and in the fields. A situation that threatens the public health of the population, warn several local actors.

The sources contacted several media outlets on Saturday, February 8 to ask the Red Cross and humanitarians to intervene urgently to evacuate these bodies and clean up the area.

The facts are reported in different villages of the Kibati, Buvira and Rusayu groups.

While the population tries to access the fields in search of food, taking advantage of this relative lull that has been observed since the occupation, it is facing this difficulty.

According to local sources, intense clashes with heavy weapons were recorded in these villages before the rebels entered the city of Goma. Which justifies the presence of several corpses that are still lying around. Which raises fears of the risk of epidemics.

In addition, the same sources mention the fear of unexploded devices but also abandoned weapons that are visible in the villages.

The inhabitants plead for the interventions of mine clearance specialists and for the sanitation of the Nyiragongo territory.

Is FARDC killing civilians in South kivu???If it is true,how can such an army expect support from civilians?

 The citizens' movement Struggle for Change (LUCHA) denounces the killings that occurred in Miti and Kavumu, in the Bugorhe group, in the Kabare territory in the province of South Kivu, during the night of Friday to Saturday, February 8. In a statement signed Saturday in Bukavu, LUCHA reports that 9 people were killed by some undisciplined soldiers of the Armed Forces of the DRC.

"What happened in the Kabare territory, precisely in Mululu in the Miti group and in Kavumu also in the Bugorhe group, is for us, at LUCHA, sad news since this is the umpteenth time that we have alerted the leaders. Recently, in our statement-communiqué of December 29, 2024, we called on our leaders on this subject. And it is not the enemies who kill, it is our own soldiers", regrets Christian Tambwe, communications officer at LUCHA.

This citizen movement questions the motivations of these soldiers at a time when the province of South Kivu is threatened by the M23 rebels, supported by the Rwandan army.

The communications officer within LUCHA indicates that this pressure group demands legal action against the alleged perpetrators of this killing that occurred in the territory of Kabare:

"We are thinking of asking the leaders, in particular the provincial governor and the Minister of the Interior, to get involved in putting an end to this situation of insecurity, but also to identify these criminals and bring them before the competent courts."