Early this Monday, 15 December 2025, residents of the Rugezi and Mubavusha villages in eastern DR Congo were shaken as drones originating from neighboring Burundi carried out aerial bombings.
The attacks targeted territories controlled by the M23, where majority of indigenous Tutsi communities reside. Details regarding casualties or damage are still emerging.
The region’s insecurity was further compounded by a deadly attack in the Waloa Loanda area, where elements of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) set fire to the entire village of Tuonane.
The assault occurred during the night of 14–15 December 2025. Provisional reports indicate that at least four civilians were burned alive in their homes.
Walikale territory has become an epicenter of FDLR activity, with fighters concentrated across its groupements.
Many of these fighters come from Masisi, Rutshuru, Nyiragongo in North Kivu, and Kalehe in South Kivu, exacerbating chronic insecurity in the area.
These incidents illustrate the ongoing threats to civilian populations in eastern DRC, particularly in territories inhabited by indigenous Tutsi communities.
The DR Congo government and Burundi have yet to release official statements regarding the drone strikes, while M23 forces continue to respond to the incursions.