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Second Battle of Kitshanga

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Second Battle of Kitshanga
Part of M23 offensive

Wazalendo fighters in Kitshanga during Wazalendo's capture of the city
Date1st phase: October 1–9, 2023
2nd phase: October 16–21, 2023
Location
Kitchanga, Nord-Kivu Democratic Republic of the Congo
Result 1st phase: Wazalendo victory
2nd phase: M23 victory
Belligerents

Wazalendo[1]

White FARDC instructors[2]		 M23
Commanders and leaders
Ngowa Luwanda[2] Unknown
Casualties and losses
"ARMADURA Z29 HELMET ARMOR Z29" by OSCAR CREATIVO

20+ killed, 30+ injured (1st battle)
5+ injured (2nd battle)
84,700 displaced

The Second battle of Kitshanga broke out between Rwandan-backed M23 fighters and self-defense groups known as Wazalendo allied with the Congolese government. In January 2023, M23 rebels captured Kitshanga from the Congolese Army and allied forces in their renewed offensive in North Kivu.[3] Wazalendo forces captured Kitshanga in early October 2023 as part of a counteroffensive, with the city switching hands between Wazalendo and the M23 after October 16, and a second M23 offensive on October 21 capturing the town.

Prelude

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Main article: First Battle of Kitshanga

In January 2023, as part of their larger offensive against the Congolese government, Rwandan-backed M23 rebels attacked and captured the city of Kitchanga, which was defended at the time by Congolese army, self-defense militias, and Nduma Defense of Congo-Renovated (NDC-R) fighters.[4] Following the M23's capture of the city, 20% of the population left. In May 2023, a refugee camp near Kitshanga was attacked by the rebel group CPC-Nyatura, killing thirteen civilians.[5] Just before the fighting in October, Kitshanga was controlled by the East African Force, a multinational neutral coalition of East African countries.[6]

Wazalendo was created by the FARDC in May 2023 as a coalition of pro-government (or largely anti-M23) rebel groups in North Kivu, and consisted of the Alliance of Patriots for a Free and Sovereign Congo (APCLS), Nduma Defense of Congo-Renovated (NDC-R), the Collective of Movements for Change (CMC), Patriotic Self-Defense Movement (MPA), and different Nyatura groups.[7][8] Colonel Ngowa Luwanda of the APCLS was the self-described leader of the Wazalendo in the Kitshanga area.[9][10]

Battle

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Clashes broke out on October 1, but little is known about what occurred.[4] On October 3, in the hills surrounding Burungu, Rushebeshe, and other towns near Kitshanga, M23 attempted to recapture positions they had lost days prior.[11] In these attacks, Wazalendo was able to push out the M23 fighters.[12] Wazalendo fighters stormed the city of Kitshanga on October 6, while clashes continued in the village of Burungu.[13] Twenty civilians were killed in the battles between October 3 and 6, and as Wazalendo captured the city, 80,000 people fled the fighting.[12] Residents of the city stated that Wazalendo fighters stole from civilians while they stormed the city.[4]

M23 launched a counteroffensive on the city on October 7, after regaining positions in the mountains around the city.[4][14] Wazalendo fighters fled quickly, apparently running out of ammunition.[14] Residents described the situation as "shooting everywhere".[14] Clashes continued on the outskirts of Kitshanga on October 9.[15] The M23 accused the Burundian Army of aiding Wazalendo in the battle[citation needed], part of a larger campaign against the Burundian government by Rwandan and pro-Rwandan media, and the Burundian government denied involvement.[16] M23 reportedly captured the city of Kitshanga and held it for under 24 hours, before Wazalendo and FARDC forces fully captured it.[17][18]

Fighting continued sporadically on the outskirts of Kitshanga after the initial capture of the city, although the city itself was largely peaceful.[17][19] Markets reopened in the city by October 16.[9] Reporters in Kitshanga during control by Wazalendo and the FARDC reported the existence of white instructors within the FARDC that Congolese authorities insisted they not photograph.[10] M23 launched a second counteroffensive on October 21, capturing the city with little pushback from Wazalendo.[18][20] The counteroffensive began in the nearby village of Bwiza, and quickly made its way to central Kitshanga.[21] At least five civilians outside the MONUSCO base were injured in the second attack by M23.[22] M23 was still in control of the city by November 21.[23]

Impact

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84,700 people fled their homes because of the fighting.[16] Two thousand civilians sought refuge in the MONUSCO base in Kitshanga, and 18,000 others sought refuge outside of it.[24]

Aftermath

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On November 21, Toby Kahangi, the leader of Kitshanga Civil Society, stated that M23 was in control of Kitshanga and that Wazalendo had lost support within the city's population.[23]

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "M23 crisis flares again in North Kivu: context, dynamics and risks". IPIS. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  2. ^ a b "L'armée de RDC montre ses "reconquêtes" face aux rebelles du M23". Voice of America (in French). 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  3. ^ "M23 rebels take control of eastern DR Congo town". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-01-30.
  4. ^ a b c d "Fighting flares in DR Congo forcing 50,000 to flee". France 24. 2023-10-07. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  5. ^ "At least 13 dead in IDP camp in eastern DRC". Africanews. 2023-05-05. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  6. ^ "DR Congo: M23 yisubije Kitshanga mu gihe imirwano yongeye kubura". BBC News Gahuza (in Kinyarwanda). 2023-10-24. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  7. ^ "Afrikarabia » Contre le M23, Kinshasa fait le pari risqué des groupes armés" (in French). Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  8. ^ "M23 crisis flares again in North Kivu: context, dynamics and risks". IPIS. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  9. ^ a b "DR Congo celebrate recapture of town from rebels in North Kivu". Africanews. 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  10. ^ a b "L'armée de RDC montre ses "reconquêtes" face aux rebelles du M23". Voice of America (in French). 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  11. ^ "RDC-Masisi: de nouveaux affrontements opposent le M23 aux groupes d'auto-défense dits Wazalendo près de Kitshanga". Actualite.cd (in French). 2023-10-04. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  12. ^ a b "RDC: les combats s'intensifient entre le M23 et les groupes d'autodéfense dans le Nord-Kivu". RFI (in French). 2023-10-10. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  13. ^ "RDC-Masisi : la cité stratégique de Kitshanga passe sous contrôle des " Wazalendo " après d'intenses combats contre le M23 (société civile)". Actualite.cd (in French). 2023-10-06. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  14. ^ a b c "RDC-Masisi : reprise des combats entre le M23 et les Wazalendo à Kitshanga". Actualite.cd (in French). 2023-10-07. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
  15. ^ "Fighting Intensifies in East DR Congo". The Defense Post. 2023-10-10. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  16. ^ a b "RDC : Le M23 reconnaît la perte de Kitshanga et accuse l'Armée burundaise et les FARDC". Actualite.cd (in French). 2023-10-10. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  17. ^ a b "RDC : reprise des combats entre le M23 et les Wazalendo dans une partie de Bwito à Rutshuru, accalmie à Kitshanga dans le Masisi". Actualite.cd (in French). 2023-10-16. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  18. ^ a b "Eastern DRC: fighting again shifts the balance in North Kivu". Africanews. 2023-10-23. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  19. ^ "Conflict in eastern DR Congo flares again – DW – 10/25/2023". dw.com. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  20. ^ "Actualité | Masisi : Le M23 de nouveau dans Kitchanga après des violents combats contre les jeunes patriotes Wazalendo ce 21 octobre | mediacongo.net". www.mediacongo.net. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  21. ^ "Actualité | Masisi : Violents combats entre M23 et jeunes patriotes Wazalendo à Kitchanga | mediacongo.net". www.mediacongo.net. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  22. ^ "Rebels recapture DR Congo town in fresh fighting". The Star. BBC News. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  23. ^ a b "RDC-M23 : accalmie relative à Rutshuru et Nyiragongo, nouveaux combats à Kitshanga dans le Masisi, les déplacés continuent d'arriver à Sake". Actualite.cd (in French). 2023-11-21. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
  24. ^ "RDC : environ 2000 civils trouvent refuge dans une base de la MONUSCO à Kitshanga". Actualite.cd (in French). 2023-10-10. Retrieved 2024-01-29.

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