Fighting between armed groups in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has killed at least 16 militiamen and forced more than 5,000 civilians to seek refuge near a UN peacekeeping base.
Ten fighters from the Convention for the People’s Revolution (CRP) and six members of the Cooperative for the Development of Congo (Codeco) were killed in clashes on September 27 in Nyampala, a mining locality in Djugu territory, according to Radio Okapi.
The latest violence highlights the continuing instability across Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, despite several ceasefire and peace initiatives. The UN warned on September 24 that the conflict’s humanitarian consequences remain severe, with millions of people displaced across the mineral-rich eastern region.
The fighting reportedly began after CRP fighters attacked a position held by the Congolese army along National Road 27. Military forces repelled the assault, and the retreating CRP fighters later clashed with Codeco members while attempting to reach their base in Maze.
Meanwhile, more than 5,000 people moved towards a nearby base of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, known as MONUSCO. More than 3,000 displaced people gathered in Rhoe, while about 2,000 others sought safety in Gina, the UN base. UN peacekeepers later repelled an attempted Codeco attack aimed at reaching the displacement sites.
In neighboring North Kivu, Congolese government troops and pro-government Wazalendo fighters reportedly recaptured five localities - Kukibingu, Kahongoboka, Tchad, Bubolwa and Luola - in Walikale territory on September 28.
The positions are strategically important because Walikale contains deposits of tin, coltan, gold, wolframite and other minerals. Control of the territory is contested by the Congolese army and M23, which Kinshasa and several international actors accuse Rwanda of supporting, while Kigali denies backing the rebellion.
M23 later launched a drone attack near the Pinga airfield, which caused panic in the town, prompting some schools to send students home and workers to leave their offices. Government forces reportedly opened fire when the drone returned for a second reconnaissance flight.
The renewed fighting comes as international efforts to halt the conflict remain fragile. The Security Council Report says clashes between the Congolese army and M23 have continued despite mediation under the Doha and Washington processes, while implementation of the broader peace framework remains incomplete. Security Council Report noted that only two of eight protocols under the Doha framework had been signed.
The ongoing violence also threatens humanitarian access and increases pressure on MONUSCO, whose mandate is scheduled to run until December 2026. The Council on Foreign Relations estimates that more than seven million people have been displaced by the wider conflict.
