South Kivu warns of alleged RDF Mumosho camp near Bukavu

South Kivu authorities have raised alarm over reports of an alleged Rwandan military camp in Mumosho, near Bukavu, in an area said to be under AFC-M23 control. In a statement dated April 20, provincial officials said the claim was based on testimonies gathered from local residents and described the reported presence as a possible new security concern in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to the provincial spokesperson, Luganywa-Bashizi Didier Kabé, the alleged site is located in Mumosho, in Kabare chiefdom, only a few kilometers from Bukavu.

Authorities said the area holds strategic importance and warned that, if confirmed, the development could mark a further deterioration in the security situation in South Kivu. At this stage, however, the allegation remains unverified by major independent international outlets.

The next step will likely depend on whether Kinshasa, Kigali, AFC-M23, or international monitors provide evidence or an official response.

The wider context remains highly sensitive: Human Rights Watch has recently documented M23 control and abuses in parts of South Kivu, while the U.S. State Department said in March it was sanctioning the Rwanda Defense Force for direct operational support to M23. Those broader findings do not independently confirm the specific Mumosho camp claim, but they help explain why the allegation is drawing close attention.

No official reaction from Kigali had been recorded in the source report, and AFC-M23 had not publicly commented at the time of publication. Until further confirmation emerges, the claim remains an allegation reported by provincial authorities and attributed to local testimonies.