AFC/M23 Seizes Kiliba as Panic Spreads in Uvira Following Retreat of Government Forces
The armed group AFC/M23 on Tuesday, January 9, captured Kiliba, a strategic locality situated roughly 15 kilometers from the city of Uvira, intensifying security fears across South Kivu.
Kiliba fell after government-aligned forces stationed in the area abruptly withdrew, abandoning their positions under pressure from advancing AFC/M23 fighters. The retreat opened the way for the rebels to take control without extended resistance.
Shortly after the takeover, tension rose sharply in Uvira. According to local sources, widespread panic gripped the city as residents heard gunfire echoing from areas close to the urban perimeter. Video footage circulated on social media showed civilians running in different directions, some seeking safe shelter while others attempted to flee crowded neighborhoods.
Reports from Uvira indicate that security forces responsible for protecting the city, including units of the FARDC, Burundian troops, and Wazalendo fighters, began crossing into Burundi as the situation deteriorated. Their withdrawal sparked growing concerns about a potential security vacuum in the border city.
Additional information suggests that senior Congolese military commanders overseeing operations in the region, who had been based in Bujumbura, left the Burundian capital and relocated to Kalemie in Tanganyika Province and Lubumbashi in Katanga. The strategic shift has fueled speculation about broader operational reorganization within the FARDC amid intensifying clashes with AFC/M23.
