Fresh fighting in Masisi has forced more Congolese families from their homes as AFC/M23 advances and clashes with Wazalendo fighters continue to destabilize parts of North Kivu, even as a new ceasefire-verification mechanism is being activated under the Doha peace process.
GOMA, Democratic Republic of the Congo — August 24, 2026 — A new wave of displacement is being reported in Masisi territory, North Kivu, as fighting between AFC/M23 rebels and Wazalendo fighters continues for a second week, placing more pressure on Congolese communities already living through prolonged insecurity.
According to Radio Okapi, families fled the villages of Bikunje, Kirambo and Mutindi in the Ufamandu I area over the weekend and moved toward neighboring Ufamandu II.
Radio Okapi reported that the three villages were largely emptied of their residents, with displaced families seeking refuge in localities including Kiterema, Biolo, Mbeshembeshe and Mangere.
The latest movement of civilians underlines the continuing human cost of the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where local communities repeatedly bear the consequences when armed groups fight for control of territory.
AFC/M23 gains add pressure around Ufamandu
The new displacement comes days after AFC/M23 captured additional villages in the same part of Masisi.
Actualite.cd reported on August 21 that Chingete, Katuunda and Miko had fallen under AFC/M23 control following fighting on August 18, while Wazalendo fighters withdrew toward Mianda and Lulere.
The outlet said the rebel advance had also raised concern in neighboring Walikale territory because the newly occupied positions brought AFC/M23 closer to Biriko in the Waloa Loanda grouping.
For the DRC, the expansion of rebel-held positions inside North Kivu represents more than a battlefield shift. Each new area taken by an armed movement weakens the presence of the Congolese state, complicates civilian administration and increases the risk that more communities will be cut off from normal public services, trade routes and humanitarian assistance.
WAR IN EASTERN DRC
Fresh Masisi Fighting Forces More Congolese Families to Flee
Aug 24, 2026
Aug 24, 2026
6 min read
Published
Updated:
Fresh fighting in Masisi has forced more Congolese families from their homes as AFC/M23 advances and clashes with Wazalendo fighters continue to destabilize parts of North Kivu, even as a new ceasefire-verification mechanism is being activated under the Doha peace process.
GOMA, Democratic Republic of the Congo — August 24, 2026 — A new wave of displacement is being reported in Masisi territory, North Kivu, as fighting between AFC/M23 rebels and Wazalendo fighters continues for a second week, placing more pressure on Congolese communities already living through prolonged insecurity.
According to Radio Okapi, families fled the villages of Bikunje, Kirambo and Mutindi in the Ufamandu I area over the weekend and moved toward neighboring Ufamandu II.
Radio Okapi reported that the three villages were largely emptied of their residents, with displaced families seeking refuge in localities including Kiterema, Biolo, Mbeshembeshe and Mangere.
The latest movement of civilians underlines the continuing human cost of the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where local communities repeatedly bear the consequences when armed groups fight for control of territory.
AFC/M23 gains add pressure around Ufamandu
The new displacement comes days after AFC/M23 captured additional villages in the same part of Masisi.
Actualite.cd reported on August 21 that Chingete, Katuunda and Miko had fallen under AFC/M23 control following fighting on August 18, while Wazalendo fighters withdrew toward Mianda and Lulere.
The outlet said the rebel advance had also raised concern in neighboring Walikale territory because the newly occupied positions brought AFC/M23 closer to Biriko in the Waloa Loanda grouping.
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For the DRC, the expansion of rebel-held positions inside North Kivu represents more than a battlefield shift. Each new area taken by an armed movement weakens the presence of the Congolese state, complicates civilian administration and increases the risk that more communities will be cut off from normal public services, trade routes and humanitarian assistance.
The immediate impact, however, is being felt by civilians.
Radio Okapi said local human-rights organizations had reported looting in several villages, including allegations that fighters involved in the conflict took livestock and other property belonging to residents. The same organizations also accused suspected Wazalendo fighters of imposing harassment at roadblocks in Ufamandu II.
Those allegations have not been independently verified, but they highlight the multiple security threats facing civilians caught between opposing armed forces.
Congolese civilians continue paying the price
The fighting around Ufamandu has now persisted for more than two weeks, according to Radio Okapi.
Local organizations are calling for urgent humanitarian assistance for displaced families, many of whom have fled with limited access to shelter, food and other basic necessities.
The situation adds to a wider displacement crisis across eastern DRC, where repeated offensives, counteroffensives and territorial changes have forced families to abandon homes, farms and livelihoods.
For Kinshasa, restoring security in these areas remains central not only to the military situation but also to the country's sovereignty and the ability of Congolese institutions to function normally in communities affected by the conflict.
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The latest developments also come at a sensitive diplomatic moment.
Fighting continues as Doha process moves toward field verification
The Democratic Republic of the Congo and AFC/M23 recently agreed to move forward with a new ceasefire-verification mechanism under the Doha peace process.
In an official joint statement published by Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of the DRC government and AFC/M23 said they had agreed to further operationalize the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus, or EJVM+.
The statement said the mechanism's secretariat had been established and that a reconnaissance mission took place on August 20 with logistical support from MONUSCO ahead of the first formal ceasefire-verification mission scheduled for August 24 in Minembwe, South Kivu.
The parties also agreed on the need for a standardized way to report alleged ceasefire violations.
That makes the continuing clashes in Masisi especially significant.
Although the latest fighting does not by itself establish which side may have violated a specific ceasefire obligation, continued hostilities and civilian displacement create an immediate test for the verification framework and for international efforts to move the conflict away from the battlefield.
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Pressure grows for protection of DRC civilians and territory
For Congolese communities in Masisi, diplomatic progress will be judged primarily by whether it produces greater security on the ground.
The loss of additional villages, the emptying of civilian settlements and reports of families fleeing toward neighboring areas show that the conflict remains active despite ongoing negotiations.
The priority for the Democratic Republic of the Congo is therefore twofold: protecting civilians from further displacement and restoring effective state authority in areas destabilized by armed groups.
The new verification mechanism could become an important tool if it is able to establish facts rapidly, document violations credibly and create consequences for parties that fail to respect their commitments.
Until that happens, communities in Masisi remain exposed to the immediate realities of the conflict.
The latest departures from Bikunje, Kirambo and Mutindi are another reminder that every territorial confrontation in eastern DRC carries a direct cost for Congolese families forced to leave their homes behind.
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