After heavy fighting between the combined forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Wazalendo, and FDLR, the AFC/M23 fighters entered the city of Uvira.
On the evening of December 9, 2025, the situation changed in the city of Uvira, located in South Kivu, after the AFC/M23 fighters arrived in the city.
This city is adjacent to Bujumbura because both share Lake Tanganyika. By air, it is only 22 kilometers away.
It is close to the Merchior Ndadaye Airport, which is 20 kilometers away by air. This is the route that Burundian troops used to enter South and North Kivu in support of the FARDC in the war against the AFC/M23.
One of the people who was in the town of Uvira on the evening of December 9, 2025, confirmed that he saw AFC/M23 fighters entering the town, meaning that it had fallen into the hands of this group.
The reporter said that “the Burundian troops fled to their homeland, they refused to give up and were killed. After all, the Intara (AFC/M23) won the war in Ruvungi. Now they are at high speed.”
AFC/M23 had previously captured the Kiliba area, 30 kilometers from Uvira. At around 9:15 p.m., FARDC and Burundian troops began to flee en masse after hearing that AFC/M23 was within a few kilometers of the city of Uvira.
Reports indicate that many Burundian troops in the city were killed, while others fled to Burundi.
In addition to some soldiers who chose to save their lives, reports have emerged that leaders in the city of Uvira also chose to go into hiding to find out where they were headed.
In a press conference on December 9, 2025, AFC/M23 Coordinator Corneille Nangaa said that government forces and all allied groups had gathered in the city, signaling that it would be liberated soon.
He said, “The people have been abandoned, so what can we do? We are protecting the people and we cannot allow this chaos and fear to continue, we must unite to bring security.”
Nangaa said that just as there is security in Goma and other areas, other parts of the country should also experience peace and security.
Politician Moïse Nyarugabo, who was a member of parliament in the DRC, has urged residents of Uvira and other areas not to continue fleeing because the town is about to be liberated.
He said, “Stay in your homes…these young men you see coming to you are not your enemies, they have no problem with you. They are not the same, they have come to provide you with security and you will see the difference. I assure you of that.”
Since the battle in the Rusizi Valley began at the beginning of last week, they have driven out the DRC government forces from several areas.
AFC/M23 has captured Katogota, Rurambo, Luberizi, Luvungi, Mutalule, Bwegera, Nyakabere and Sange. Before entering Kiliba on the afternoon of December 9, 2025, it first captured the Runingo center and then Kiliba.
The city of Uvira was shaken even before the AFC/M23 captured Kiliba when gunfire was heard, reportedly fired by Wazalendo fighters.
