Fighting between Wazalendo allied with FARDC and FRN rebels intensifies in Minembwe, South Kivu, displacing civilians. Wazalendo leader Gen. Gentil Tuungane explains frontline situation.
Clashes pitting fighters of the FRN Forces de Résistance Nationale) against the Congolese army, FARDC, allied with Wazalendo groups, continue to impact civilian security. Many residents have been displaced from their homes, while others struggle to access basic necessities.
In this conflict, Wazalendo groups say they are fighting to defend national sovereignty and protect civilians. Its leaders claim FRN fighters launched attacks on their positions in Minembwe but failed to dislodge them.
What is happening on the frontline?
– What capacity does Wazalendo have to confront FRN?
– What is the current state of its relationship with the Congolese national army (FARDC)?
– Can peace be achieved through dialogue, or will fighting continue?
To discuss this, we invited General Gentil Tuungane , one of the Wazalendo leaders in South Kivu, to explain how he views the ongoing fighting in the region and its future direction.
Minembwe, located in the highlands of South Kivu, has long been a flashpoint for conflict involving local self-defense groups, Banyamulenge-led movements, and national forces. The FRN is a recently formed coalition that includes several local factions, while Wazalendo refers to a loose alliance of patriotic resistance groups now formally cooperating with FARDC.
