Heavy Fighting Once Again Engulfs Villages Inhabited by Banyamulenge in Minembwe
On the morning of Thursday, June 11, 2026, heavy gunfire and intense clashes were reported in several areas surrounding Minembwe, in South Kivu Province, an area largely inhabited by the Banyamulenge community, according to local sources.
Information from residents and observers in the region indicates that the attacks, allegedly carried out by a coalition of forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), including Burundian troops, along with Wazalendo militias and the FDLR, targeted several villages including Gakenke, near Chef Rutaganda’s area, Sinai, and other nearby localities.
Additional attacks were also reported in the Bidegu area, located close to Minembwe center, approximately four kilometers away, where residents described heavy exchanges of gunfire and powerful explosions.
As of now, reports from the area indicate that fierce fighting continues between the coalition of government-aligned forces and armed groups operating alongside them, and the MRDP-Twirwaneho movement, which claims to defend the local Banyamulenge population in these areas.
Sources further state that following the attacks, Twirwaneho launched a counter-response aimed at protecting civilians and pushing back the attacking forces, leading to sustained clashes throughout the morning.
Residents report the use of heavy weaponry and explosives, with some claiming that drones were also involved—an escalation that has further heightened fear among the local population.
Civilians say shells have landed near residential areas, forcing many families to flee in search of safer locations.
People living in Minembwe and surrounding areas report that their lives are currently in serious danger, especially as the fighting has persisted intermittently over the past three days, with continuous clashes reported from Monday through Wednesday in various locations.
There are growing concerns that schools, businesses, and daily civilian life have come to a standstill due to fear that the violence may spread further into previously unaffected areas.
Residents are urgently calling for humanitarian assistance and international intervention, urging human rights organizations and global institutions to take action to halt the fighting and protect civilians, who continue to bear the heaviest burden of the ongoing conflict.
Minembwe Capital News continues to follow the situation closely and will provide further updates as developments unfold.
