Minembwe trapped in endless conflict in South Kivu

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, peace efforts continue to falter as violence escalates in Minembwe, a contested administrative entity in South Kivu Province. Despite diplomatic commitments from both Congolese and Rwandan authorities to uphold the June 2025 peace agreement and enforce a ceasefire, clashes persist unabated.

The fighting centers on a region of immense strategic value—both militarily and symbolically—where government forces backed by Wazalendo militias and rebels from the M23-AFC alliance, supported by Twirwaneho fighters, vie for control. The consequences for civilians have been devastating.

Healthcare facilities targeted in escalating violence

Daily bombardments and drone strikes have turned Minembwe into a battleground where even essential services are under attack. A local resident described the relentless assault on critical infrastructure: “Yesterday, the pediatric ward of Minembwe General Hospital was struck. The Ilundu health center, near the airstrip, was also bombed. Every day brings new violence and drone attacks terrorize the population. People have fled. The situation is dire. These drone strikes never stop.”

Displaced populations caught in crossfire

The surge in fighting has forced thousands of civilians to abandon their homes, seeking refuge from the unending violence. Civil society leaders in South Kivu are demanding immediate implementation of the ceasefire agreement, warning that communities are paying the heaviest price.

“We are appalled that civilians continue to be targeted across the region,” said Hypocrate Marume, a spokesperson for South Kivu’s civil society coordination body. “People are still being displaced. The crisis is worsening, and it is our communities that are being destroyed. We urge both warring parties to lay down their arms and commit to dialogue for the sake of peace.”

A strategic battleground fueling decades of conflict

Minembwe’s significance extends beyond its military value. The territory’s rugged terrain and key corridors linking the highlands of Mwenga and the Ruzizi Plain make it a pivotal flashpoint in the region’s long-standing conflicts. According to Philippe Doudou Kaganda, director of the Great Lakes Conflict and Peace Research Center, “Whoever controls Minembwe gains a strategic advantage, enabling counter-offensives against rival factions. It is also a symbolic prize—its conquest often marks a territorial and ethnicized victory.”

For residents of Minembwe, peace remains a distant hope as the sounds of drones and gunfire dominate daily life.