Fatshimetrie is on the lookout for the violent fighting that recently broke out in the Fizi and Mwenga highlands in South Kivu province. Since Thursday, November 28, the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) have been engaged in intense clashes against the coalition of armed groups Twigwaneho-Ngumino and Rukunda Makanika. These violent clashes continued throughout the weekend, plunging the region into a climate of extreme tension.
According to local sources, the fighting began when the rebel coalition ambushed FARDC patrols in the locality of Kalindi, located in the Itombwe sector. The clashes, of unprecedented intensity, forced the local population to flee en masse, seeking refuge in safer areas such as Minembwe, a territory neighboring Fizi.
The administrator of the Fizi territory, Samy Kalonji, testified to the massive influx of displaced people fleeing the violence of the fighting. The villages of Kalingi, Kitavi and Ilundu were the scenes of these deadly clashes, causing the inhabitants to flee. Unfortunately, at this stage, the toll of the clashes remains uncertain, leaving the local population in anguish and uncertainty.
Poignant accounts have emerged, including that of the honorary chief of the Lulenge sector, recounting the ambush set by the rebels on three young motorcyclists, resulting in the death of two of them and the serious injury of the third. Similarly, the spokesperson for the Sokola 2 south-south operational sector reported five fighters killed and three others injured during the clashes the previous Friday.
Beyond the figures and statistics, it is above all a human tragedy that is unfolding in these regions plagued by violence. Women, children and the elderly are being forced to flee their homes, leaving behind their lives and memories, to escape imminent danger.
Despite the efforts of local authorities and security forces to restore peace and security in the region, the situation remains volatile. A peacemaking meeting led by the Commander of the 21st Intervention Brigade is planned to try to ease tensions and find lasting solutions to this deadly conflict.
While the sound of gunfire still resonates in the highlands of Fizi and Mwenga, the international community is still expected to support the stabilization and peacemaking efforts in this war-torn region. It is imperative to act quickly and effectively to put an end to this incessant violence and provide the civilian population with the security and peace to which they are entitled.