Burundian troops continue to withdraw from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, after AFC/M23 fighters seized parts of South Kivu province, including the city of Uvira.
Many Burundian soldiers who controlled parts of the Rusizi Valley on the South Kivu side returned to their country in the past two weeks when AFC/M23 overpowered them.
Information reaching IGIHE confirms that other Burundian soldiers have chosen to flee to parts of South Kivu, including the town of Baraka in Fizi territory and the Itombwe forest.
The majority of Burundian soldiers remain in the areas surrounding Minembwe commune, which connects Uvira, Fizi and Mwenga territories. They have long blocked the roads through which the Banyamulenge people travel to markets and health facilities.
SOS Médias reported that on the night of December 15-16, 2025, a large contingent of Burundian soldiers from Baraka and Mboko crossed Lake Tanganyika and were received at the military port in Rumonge.
The AFC/M23 had recently entered the Mboko center, as it continued to push the DRC government forces south, disrupting civilian security. The main task now was to capture the town of Baraka.
As the AFC/M23 continued to seize parts of Lake Tanganyika, it increasingly blocked the way for Burundian troops to return home, after all the land routes in the Rusizi Valley had been closed.
On the morning of December 16, six trucks were sent to the port, carrying these soldiers to the town of Bumbura, and it was clear that they were very tired.
In total, Burundi had sent about 20,000 soldiers to South Kivu province. The number of those who returned is not yet known, but what is known is that they number in the thousands.
On December 16, the leader of the AFC/M23, Corneille Nangaa, announced that their fighters were leaving the town of Uvira but that the opposing forces should not set foot in it. It is not known whether Burundian troops will continue to return after this announcement.
