Burundi has begun deploying additional troops to South Kivu Province in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to reinforce its forces already engaged in fighting the armed group MRDP-Twirwaneho.
According to reports by SOS Medias Burundi, a large Burundian military boat carrying soldiers and equipment was spotted on the evening of April 14, 2026, at the port of Rumonge on Lake Tanganyika.
The vessel reportedly headed toward the town of Baraka in Fizi Territory of South Kivu. The troops on board are expected to join combat operations in several areas, including Gakenke, Mikenke, Kalingi and Mulima.
Reports indicate that Burundian forces, alongside troops from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the Wazalendo militia, are seeking to take control of the commune of Minembwe. The area is considered strategically important and is currently controlled by the Twirwaneho armed group, which claims to defend the Banyamulenge community.
By early December 2025, Burundi had more than 20,000 troops deployed in South Kivu. Some were later withdrawn after the AFC/M23 coalition captured several areas in Uvira Territory, including the city of Uvira.
Sources in South Kivu say that after several months of reorganization, the Burundian government has recently resumed sending troops to the battlefield in an effort to recapture lost positions and secure additional areas.
For its part, AFC/M23 has repeatedly claimed that FARDC troops, Burundian forces, Wazalendo militias, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and foreign mercenaries have continued launching attacks in several parts of South Kivu, including Gakenke, Kalingi and Bidegu.
The coalition argues that the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is attempting to undermine ongoing peace talks that began in Switzerland on April 13, suggesting that Kinshasa intends to continue the conflict.
AFC/M23 maintains that it seeks to resolve its dispute with the Congolese government through political dialogue but insists it will continue defending itself and protecting civilians if hostilities persist.
