While peace talks continue to be presented as a path that could reduce the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the situation on the ground tells a different story.
The AFC/M23 coalition has once again captured three villages in North Kivu Province following heavy fighting, as uncertainty persists over the implementation of its recently announced decision to withdraw from the city of Uvira.
Information from local residents and security sources indicates that the clashes took place in the Bashali Mokoto Grouping, Bashali Chiefdom, Masisi Territory, during the night of Tuesday, December 16, 2025. The fighting pitted AFC/M23 forces against Wazalendo fighters from the ACNDH group, who had previously been controlling the area.
According to sources in Masisi, the clashes lasted for several hours and involved both heavy and light weapons, forcing many civilians to flee into forests and neighboring villages. By morning, AFC/M23 had taken control of at least three villages, further expanding the areas it controls in a region known as a stronghold of multiple armed groups.
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These attacks occurred just days after AFC/M23 announced its decision to withdraw from the city of Uvira in South Kivu Province, a move presented as a confidence-building step in support of the peace talks currently taking place in Doha.
However, more than 48 hours after the announcement, no clear signs of an AFC/M23 withdrawal have been observed in South Kivu. Reports from Kivu Morning Post indicate that daily life in Uvira continues as usual, with shops open and residents moving about.
Many residents say they have not seen AFC/M23 fighters leaving the city, contrary to previously circulated images showing soldiers marching out in formation. This has raised questions about whether the withdrawal decision is actually being implemented, or whether it is a slow and unclear process with no defined timetable.
AFC/M23 had stated that its withdrawal from Uvira was conditional on several requirements being met. Among them was the demand that the Congolese army (FARDC) and Wazalendo militias should not return to the city, which the coalition claims would once again create insecurity and lead to attacks against civilians suspected of supporting AFC/M23.
The coalition also called for the deployment of “neutral forces” to ensure security in Uvira after its departure. However, what this would mean in practical terms remains unclear: which forces would they be, where would they come from, and under what mandate would they operate? No concrete talks have yet begun between Kinshasa and AFC/M23 on this issue.
As a result, analysts suggest that the decision to withdraw from Uvira may be driven by political and diplomatic calculations, with AFC/M23 seeking to project an image of commitment to peace in the eyes of international mediators, while continuing military operations in other parts of the country.
In North Kivu Province, Masisi Territory remains one of the main epicenters of fighting. The area, characterized by fertile farmland, has long been contested by various armed groups, including Wazalendo and other smaller militias.
AFC/M23’s renewed capture of villages in Bashali Mokoto underscores its continued capacity to launch offensives and shift territorial control, even as it claims at the political level to be ready to pursue a path toward peace.
