GOMA, October 28, 2025: The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) has accused the Kinshasa regime of launching a widespread offensive in violation of the ceasefire agreement, resulting in heavy civilian casualties and mass displacement across North Kivu.

In an official communiqué issued on Tuesday, the movement denounced what it described as the “flagrant violations of the ceasefire” by government forces, claiming that the attacks were deliberately aimed at densely populated areas, including Kibati, Bibwe, Nyabiondo, Bukombo, and surrounding localities.

According to the statement, the offensive began in the early hours of Tuesday, October 28, at around 3:00 a.m., involving heavy artillery and combat drones. The AFC/M23 alleged that the assault was part of a coordinated campaign of “criminal barbarism” orchestrated by Kinshasa, accusing the government of targeting civilians in its operations.

“As a result of this indiscriminate aggression, children and women are being killed, and the number of casualties and displaced persons is rising at an alarming rate,” the communiqué stated.

The group further criticized the Congolese government for undermining international peace efforts, asserting that Kinshasa’s actions amount to a declaration of war against its own people. “By sabotaging all international peace efforts, Kinshasa has made its intentions clear: it is waging a war against the Congolese people,” the statement read.

Declaring that it would not remain passive in the face of what it termed a “murderous campaign,” the AFC/M23 affirmed its right to self-defense. “We will employ all necessary means to protect civilian populations and to put the criminals out of action,” said the communiqué signed by Lawrence Kanyuka, Head of the Department of Communication for the Alliance Fleuve Congo.

The latest escalation threatens to derail ongoing regional peace initiatives and raises fears of a worsening humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo, where thousands of civilians have already been displaced by renewed fighting.

We Will Defend Our People: AFC/M23 Denounces Kinshasa’s War on Civilians