Reported defections by 25 M23 fighters in Fizi territory add to signs of growing pressure on the rebellion’s South Kivu front, according to a March 12 report by MediaCongo. The outlet said the fighters surrendered to the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) in Mikenge and Kakenge after recent military operations in the area.

According to the report, the surrender was announced on Wednesday, March 11, by Operation Sukola 2 South spokesperson Lieutenant Mbuyi Kalonji Reagan. The fighters were said to have handed over their weapons before being taken to sector command, where they received basic assistance.

The reported defections come after FARDC said it had regained control of Mikenge in early March following clashes in the Hauts Plateaux of Fizi. Other regional reporting also pointed to fighting around Mikenge and Kakenge in recent days, underlining the strategic weight of this corridor in South Kivu’s broader conflict dynamics.

Beyond the immediate military dimension, the Fizi area has become part of a wider regional security picture shaped by repeated clashes, competing territorial claims, and ongoing diplomatic strain in eastern DR Congo. The latest reported surrender, if sustained, may reinforce the view that battlefield pressure in parts of South Kivu is beginning to affect armed group cohesion, though the exact figure of 25 defectors remains tied to the main source .