Residents of Bukavu and surrounding villages in South Kivu have accused elements of the Congolese military (FARDC) and Wazalendo fighters of committing grave abuses against civilians, including killings and looting. The allegations have sparked outrage, leading to protests demanding immediate action.
The violence erupted on Friday, February 7, when armed men attacked several villages in Kabare territory, leaving at least seven people dead, according to South Kivu Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi. Civil society groups, however, claim the death toll stands at nine. The following day, similar incidents of looting and gunfire were reported in Bukavu city, where attackers vandalized shops and small markets as they moved through the northern entrance of the city.
Residents accuse some FARDC soldiers and Wazalendo fighters returning from the front lines of being behind the attacks. In response, angry citizens, including Kabare nationals living in Bukavu, staged a march to the governor’s office to demand accountability.
Governor Purusi condemned the violence and announced immediate measures to investigate and bring those responsible to justice. “We are keen to reassure the people. A committee of inquiry will be launched immediately. Those responsible for these human rights violations will be tried in mobile courts at the scene of the incident,” he stated.
Meanwhile, community leaders have called for the immediate redeployment of the implicated soldiers. “Why are the military, who should be protecting us, now the ones creating insecurity?” asked Master Pascal Mupenda, a leader from Kabare. “We want all these soldiers out.”
The situation in South Kivu remains tense as authorities face pressure to act swiftly against those accused of crimes against civilians.
