Strife has overtaken Uvira as M23 rebels encircle the city, leaving FARDC forces and their Burundian allies in utter disarray. In a desperate bid to escape the tightening rebel noose, some FARDC soldiers after looting local shops and boarded an overloaded boat bound for Lake Tanganyika, while others remain trapped between Kamanyola and Uvira.
Amid the chaos, internal divisions have further undermined the state’s defense. Wazalendo militias, originally deployed alongside FARDC, refused to withdraw as ordered. In a stunning act of defiance, they forcefully disarmed retreating FARDC soldiers; an explicit violation of orders from their commanders, which sparked violent clashes that have already claimed at least ten lives.
Now, the area is awash with abandoned weapons left behind by FARDC and Burundian soldiers, many of which have fallen into the hands of Wazalendo militias and local civilians, further complicating the volatile security situation in Uvira.