AFC/M23 Claims FDLR Established New Bases in Fizi and Baraka

The AFC/M23 alliance has claimed that the FDLR armed group has established new bases in the towns of Fizi and Baraka in South Kivu Province after being pushed back from areas around Minembwe.

Speaking on behalf of AFC/M23, spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said the group encountered FDLR fighters during military operations in Minembwe and the nearby Point-Zéro area. He accused the armed group of targeting Congolese civilians.

According to Kanyuka, after AFC/M23 forces drove back the coalition of Congolese government-aligned forces that had been operating in the area, FDLR fighters retreated south and established new positions in Fizi and Baraka.

"We saw them in Minembwe, we saw them in Point-Zéro. We pushed them out of Goma, they went to kill in Minembwe, and now they have moved to continue killing in Baraka and Fizi. That is where they have established their headquarters to attack our brothers and sisters," Kanyuka said.

AFC/M23 also accused the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) of continuing to support the FDLR, alleging that the armed group is responsible for attacks against Congolese civilians.

The alliance further stated that it has both the mandate and the capability to protect civilians in areas under its control and pledged to continue providing security for local communities.