Fighting Intensifies Again in Minembwe: MRDP-Twirwaneho Retakes Gipimo and Biziba as Reports Emerge of Heavy Casualties
Minembwe Capital News (MCN)
Fighting has intensified once again in several areas of Minembwe, where the MRDP-Twirwaneho movement has reportedly retaken positions in Gipimo, Mukimete, and other parts of Biziba following clashes with an alliance of forces from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC), Burundian troops, Wazalendo and FDLR fighters, as well as mercenaries.
Information gathered by Minembwe Capital News (MCN) indicates that the fighting on the morning of Sunday, October 11, 2026, was concentrated mainly in Biziba, south of Minembwe centre, and in the direction of Rugezi, particularly in the area known as Mukimete.
MRDP-Twirwaneho Retakes Gipimo and Positions in Biziba
On Sunday morning, FARDC launched attacks in Biziba, south of Minembwe centre. According to information provided by MRDP-Twirwaneho, the movement resisted the attacks, pushed back the attacking forces, and regained control of several positions in Biziba and the surrounding areas.
The areas reportedly brought back under MRDP-Twirwaneho’s control include Gipimo, Mukimete, Kwa Mabuye, and other locations near the fighting.
Gipimo is not the first area to become a battleground between the opposing sides. During the previous week, MRDP-Twirwaneho had reportedly retaken the area but later withdrew amid drone attacks, according to the information received.
The movement’s reported return to the area highlights how control of Gipimo and the surrounding parts of Minembwe remains a key point of military confrontation in the region.
Clashes Also Resume in Mukimete
Fighting was also reported in the direction of Rugezi, in an area known as Mukimete. Sources in the region told MCN that MRDP-Twirwaneho had regained control of the area following clashes with opposing forces.
Mukimete has featured repeatedly in reports of fighting in Minembwe. According to the information received, this is not the first time the area has witnessed clashes, as the opposing sides have engaged in attacks and fighting there on several occasions.
Although MRDP-Twirwaneho is reported to have regained control of the area, the situation on the ground will depend on how the fighting develops and on the military operations carried out by both sides.
Reports Indicate Heavy Military Casualties
Accounts received by Minembwe Capital News indicate that the alliance comprising FARDC, Burundian troops, Wazalendo fighters, FDLR combatants, and mercenaries encountered intense fighting in Biziba.
Information published by MCN before this report indicated that several soldiers on the side of the Kinshasa government had been killed in the clashes in the area. However, the exact number of fatalities has not yet been independently established.
In a message sent to MCN, one of MRDP-Twirwaneho’s leaders claimed that numerous bodies of soldiers, including FARDC personnel and Burundian troops, were lying in the area of Kwa Misago in Biziba.
He stated:
“Biziba, at Kwa Misago, there are many bodies of FARDC soldiers alongside Burundian soldiers. There are dozens of bodies; we cannot count them because we are pursuing the enemy.”
The claim has not been independently verified by MCN.
Col. Rugabo Fidel Issues Statement on the Fighting in Gipimo
Col. Rugabo Fidel, spokesperson for MRDP-Twirwaneho, also issued a written statement claiming that the opposing side had been defeated in the fighting around Gipimo. He further alleged that the opposing forces had attempted to launch attacks against civilians in Rugezi.
In his statement, he said:
“The enemy at Gipimo has been severely beaten. After attempting to attack the people of Rugezi, they are now fleeing in disarray.”
The statement reflects MRDP-Twirwaneho’s account of the events in the area.
Lulenge Continues to Experience Fighting
The latest clashes come after several days of fighting between MRDP-Twirwaneho and the alliance of DRC government forces and allied armed groups in parts of Minembwe and the Lulenge sector, within Fizi Territory in South Kivu Province.
Information provided by MRDP-Twirwaneho and sources in the region indicates that, during recent clashes, the movement claimed to have repelled attacks by opposing forces and regained control of some positions from which it had previously withdrawn.
Regarding who initiated the latest fighting, MRDP-Twirwaneho and sources supportive of the movement accuse FARDC and its allies of launching the attacks.
Regardless of the competing accounts, the reported recapture of Gipimo, Mukimete, and positions in Biziba, alongside fighting in Murumete, underscores the continuing deterioration of security in Minembwe and parts of Lulenge. Residents continue to face the consequences of recurring clashes in areas repeatedly affected by armed confrontations.
Minembwe Capital News (MCN)
