FARDC Signals Sustained Offensive After Fizi Battles in South Kivu

The Congolese army says it is maintaining pressure on armed groups in South Kivu after reporting days of intense fighting in Fizi territory, where it claims to have inflicted significant losses on M23 fighters and allied militias. In a statement issued Tuesday, February 3, the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) said combat operations in the area are ongoing as commanders urge troops to sustain momentum as initially reported by 7sur7.cd .

According to Lieutenant Mbuyi Kalonji Reagan, FARDC spokesperson in the southern part of South Kivu, the army estimates that 34 M23 fighters were killed during five consecutive days of clashes in Fizi. He added that 12 elements linked to the armed groups Twirwaneho and Ngumino were captured in the highlands of the same territory, describing them as part of the forces operating alongside M23.

Kalonji said the army also recovered weapons and other military equipment during the engagements, framing the fighting as a response to what he described as an “aggression” involving M23 and allied groups, including Red Tabara. The statement did not provide an independent breakdown of casualties on either side, and the claims could not be immediately verified by independent sources.

Command message points to continued operations

Beyond the battlefield claims, FARDC’s messaging emphasized continuity an indication, in the army’s framing, that operations are not a one-off response but part of a sustained campaign across multiple flashpoints in South Kivu.

Kalonji said Colonel Apoko Bangala Michel, interim commander of the Sukola 2 South operational sector in South Kivu, had reminded troops to strengthen morale and maintain readiness “to put an end” to the current hostilities. The statement did not outline the next operational objectives, but the emphasis on morale-building and persistence signals an intent to keep forces engaged in the area.

Wider South Kivu context: pressure across multiple fronts

Fizi lies in a province where security dynamics have remained volatile, with confrontations shifting between territories and armed actors. The army’s latest claims also come as fighting and troop movements around Uvira have drawn sustained attention in recent weeks, reflecting the broader contest for control and access routes in South Kivu.

Earlier reporting has described Uvira as strategically significant, and international coverage has documented shifting control and continued instability in the area. In January, for example, France 24 reported the Congolese army said it had regained control of Uvira after M23 fighters withdrew, amid ongoing tensions and security operations.

FARDC cites surrenders in Uvira

The FARDC statement also recalled a separate development earlier in the week: 43 M23 fighters reportedly surrendered to the Congolese army in Uvira on Monday. The army did not provide details about the circumstances of the surrender, including whether it followed local negotiations, battlefield pressure, or other arrangements. As with the Fizi figures, the surrender claim could not be independently verified from the information provided in the statement.

What to watch next

If FARDC maintains the tempo it is signaling, several indicators will matter in the coming days:

• Operational follow-through: whether the army issues updated briefings that clarify objectives, locations, and outcomes beyond aggregated casualty claims.

• Security conditions for civilians: whether displacement trends worsen or improve as clashes persist across territories. Recent reporting has highlighted the severe humanitarian toll of escalations in eastern DRC, including large-scale displacement during periods of intensified fighting.

• Verification and access: whether independent observers, humanitarian actors, or local authorities can corroborate battlefield claims and assess impacts on communities.