Mikenke: Child Injured by Weapon Left Behind After Fighting, Highlighting the Dangers of Abandoned War Materials to Children
Minembwe Capital News (MCN)
As the ongoing conflict continues to affect the lives of civilians in the Minembwe Highlands and surrounding areas, another incident has highlighted the dangers children face from weapons and other military equipment left behind in former conflict zones. The incident occurred after a young boy accidentally discharged a firearm he had found, sustaining a gunshot wound to his leg.
The incident took place in the Mikenke area, located in Itombwe Sector, Mwenga Territory, on the morning of Friday, 13 November 2026.
Information obtained by Minembwe Capital News (MCN) indicates that the child came across a firearm and accidentally handled it, causing it to discharge and strike him in the leg. The injury is reported to be severe.
Firearm Reportedly Left Behind During the Fighting
Information reaching MCN indicates that the firearm was allegedly abandoned by FARDC soldiers and their allied forces, including Burundian troops, Wazalendo groups and the FDLR, as they retreated following clashes in the area, after FRN forces had reportedly driven them out and taken control of several positions.
Developments surrounding the fighting in July and August 2026 indicate that Mikenke and other areas in the Minembwe Highlands repeatedly changed hands between the opposing sides as hostilities intensified.
As a result, military equipment, including firearms and other potentially dangerous materials, was reportedly left behind in several locations, posing serious risks to civilians, particularly children who may come across such objects without understanding the dangers they present.
Not the First Time Children Have Faced the Dangers of Weapons Left Behind After Fighting
The latest incident follows another serious accident reported towards the end of last month, when children came across an explosive device allegedly left behind by FARDC soldiers and their allied forces in an area where fighting had taken place. Unaware of what the object was, the children reportedly began playing with it until it exploded.
That incident occurred in the Kakenge area, east of Minembwe, on 31 October 2026.
These incidents demonstrate how weapons and explosive materials left behind in former conflict zones can continue to threaten civilian lives, even after fighting has subsided or the opposing forces have withdrawn from those areas.
Children and Civilians Continue to Bear the Consequences of War
Both incidents highlight one of the most serious consequences of armed conflict for innocent civilians. Beyond bullets and shelling that can claim lives during active fighting, firearms and unexploded ordnance left behind in conflict-affected areas can continue to cause injuries and fatalities long after hostilities have ended.
Children are particularly vulnerable because they may encounter firearms or other military equipment and mistake them for ordinary objects or toys, without realizing that handling them could cost them their lives or leave them with permanent disabilities.
This makes the issue of abandoned weapons and explosive devices in former conflict zones an urgent matter requiring attention. There is a need for systematic efforts to locate, identify and remove such dangerous materials to protect civilians, especially children, and allow communities to live without the constant threat posed by military equipment left behind in their surroundings.
As of now, information available to MCN indicates that the child injured in Mikenke sustained a serious gunshot wound to the leg. MCN continues to follow up on reports regarding the child’s condition and any further developments related to the incident.
Minembwe Capital News (MCN)