AFC/M23 denies losing key areas in Masisi territory
The Alliance Fleuve Congo/March 23 Movement has denied reports from media outlets aligned with the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo alleging that the group had lost control of several strategic localities in Masisi Territory.
On Friday, Congolese news platforms reported that the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), supported by pro-government Wazalendo militias, had recaptured the locality of Kabobi from AFC/M23 fighters.
The publication and other media close to the Kinshasa government had earlier claimed that AFC/M23 forces had also withdrawn from Kinigi, another key area in Masisi Territory, and that coalition forces were advancing toward Rubaya, a mineral-rich town considered strategically important in North Kivu Province.
In response, North Kivu’s deputy governor, Ngarambe Manzi Willy, dismissed the reports as misinformation intended to create the impression of military gains by government forces.
In a message published on X, he accused opponents of spreading false narratives about the battlefield situation.
“You attacked us as a coalition, but you will scatter in fear. Your plans collapsed before they even began. The lies supporting you will fall, and peace will once again prevail in Congo,” he stated.
Despite the claims circulated by pro-Kinshasa outlets, sources on the ground indicated late Friday that AFC/M23 fighters remained in control of both Kinigi and Kibabi.
