In the night of Saturday, August 9 to Sunday, August 10, 2025, clashes broke out between the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) and Mobondo militiamen in Mbankana, a village in the semi-urban commune of Maluku, Kinshasa.
According to Captain Antony Mualushayi, spokesperson for the Ngemba operations conducted against the Mobondo militia, the fighting took place on a farm belonging to the company Congo Futur.
Alerted by gunfire around 11 p.m., nearby FARDC units quickly intervened to repel the assault.
The army reported the following results:
- Three Mobondo militiamen killed
- Two 12-gauge firearms recovered
- Several farm workers taken hostage rescued
One employee suffered a severe injury, with his foot severed by the attackers using a machete. Thanks to the rapid intervention of the FARDC, his life was saved, Captain Mualushayi said.
“Operations are ongoing in the area to track down fleeing militiamen and neutralize them,” he added. Military leadership praised the troops’ swift response and urged local residents to remain vigilant.
The FARDC called on the people of Maluku to actively cooperate with security forces to preserve peace and stability in the region.
Ongoing Tensions
The latest clash is part of a series of persistent tensions in Maluku, on the eastern edge of Kinshasa, where the Mobondo militia has infiltrated from several areas of neighboring Grand Bandundu.
The FARDC accuses the group of committing torture and inhumane treatment of civilians, hostage-taking, attempts to install illegitimate traditional chiefs, and other serious human rights abuses.
Mbankana, the site of the August 9 confrontation, remains one of the key flashpoints, having seen repeated militia attacks on farms and civilians in recent months.