For the second day, fighting has continued between the Congolese government forces (FARDC) and their allies including Burundian troops and Wazalendo militias against AFC/M23 rebels in the Ruzizi Valley and surrounding areas.
Reports indicate that due to the clashes, some Congolese civilians have fled into Rwanda through the Kamanyola border.
On this second day of fighting, AFC/M23 rebels continued to confront attacks from the national army and its allies in the Kaziba/Walungu area.
More clashes are also taking place in Katogota, a location where the Congolese army had earlier claimed to have dislodged AFC/M23. But reliable information obtained by PURENEWS confirms that AFC/M23 is still in control of the area.
Radio Maendeleo, based in Bukavu, reports that many residents have fled from Katogota heading toward Kamanyola.
Some residents from Kambara and Rugenge, within Kamanyola, have also abandoned their homes in fear.
The fighting has so far claimed around 19 lives. Radio Maendeleo reports that in the Kaziba chiefdom, 11 people were killed instantly after a shell fell on the house they were in.
Many houses have been damaged by heavy gunfire and bombs being launched in different locations.
The same radio station also reports that a bomb dropped by a drone struck a church, causing injuries among the people who were there.
These clashes come at a time when Washington, D.C., USA, is preparing for the signing of a peace agreement on Thursday, December 4, 2025, between President Félix Tshisekedi and President Paul Kagame.
The agreement aims to restore peace in eastern Congo and promote economic development. However, AFC/M23 has already stated that it is not part of that agreement, insisting that it is waiting for a separate peace accord between itself and the Kinshasa government, following negotiations that have been ongoing in Doha, Qatar.
