Point Zero Changes Hands: Key Developments You Need to Know
Reliable information gathered and verified by Minembwe Capital News indicates that Point Zero, an area previously regarded as a major stronghold of the coalition comprising the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), the Burundian military, FDLR fighters, and Wazalendo militias, has been vacated following heavy drone strikes carried out yesterday.
According to credible sources that spoke to Minembwe Capital News, the coalition forces withdrew after coming under intense aerial bombardment, prompting them to pull their troops out of Point Zero and relocate to areas they consider relatively safer.
Additional information obtained by Minembwe Capital News from multiple security sources indicates that MRDP-Twirwaneho forces have now advanced to the outskirts of the area. Although the group has not officially announced that it has taken control of Point Zero, available information suggests that its fighters are now within close proximity and could enter the area in the near future if the current battlefield situation remains unchanged.
The withdrawal of FARDC and its allied forces follows a series of recent battlefield developments in the Minembwe highlands, where MRDP-Twirwaneho says it continues to expand the territory under its control. Available information indicates that the group had earlier captured Ngezi and Murusirita before pushing the FARDC coalition—including Burundian troops, FDLR fighters, and Wazalendo militias—out of Rwitsankuku.
On Wednesday, MRDP-Twirwaneho also announced that it had taken control of Bilalombili and Mikenke, developments that have significantly altered the military situation across several parts of Fizi Territory and the Minembwe area.
Early Friday morning, reports from Mulima indicated that additional drone strikes targeted the area. The identity of those responsible for the attacks has not yet been established.
Verified information obtained by Minembwe Capital News indicates that the first strikes hit the area overnight, followed by another round of explosions at approximately 10:00 a.m. local time.
According to these reports, the strikes targeted locations where FARDC troops and their allied forces—including Burundian soldiers, FDLR fighters, and Wazalendo militias—had reportedly regrouped after withdrawing from Point Zero, Rwitsankuku, Bilalombili, and Mikenke.
Preliminary information obtained by Minembwe Capital News suggests that a significant number of FARDC soldiers were killed in the attacks. Initial reports indicate that at least 24 soldiers lost their lives. However, these casualty figures have not been independently verified and may change as additional information becomes available.
Separately, human rights activists in Fizi Territory reported that a drone struck buildings at Ngulube Primary School in the Mulima area, where they claim FARDC had established a military position. According to these sources, at least 21 soldiers were killed in that attack.
As of now, the party responsible for the drone strikes remains unknown, and no independent authority has confirmed who carried out the attacks.
Minembwe Capital News has not been able to verify claims circulating on social media or elsewhere alleging that AFC/M23, or any other armed group, was responsible for the strikes. Consequently, growing calls have emerged for an independent, impartial, and credible investigation to establish the origin of the attacks and identify those responsible.
As fighting continues to intensify across Minembwe and Fizi, many civilians are fleeing their homes for nearby forests and other locations they believe to be safer.
Residents say fears continue to grow as the conflict escalates and the use of drones increases, leaving civilians feeling increasingly vulnerable and at risk.
Minembwe Capital News will continue to monitor developments closely and provide readers with verified, accurate, and up-to-date information as it becomes available.
