Violent clashes have pitted, since early in the morning of Thursday, December 7, 2023, the FARDC supported by the “Wazalendo” self-defense groups and the M23 around Mushaki, in the Kamuronza group, in Masisi territory (North Kivu) . Sources in the region confirm that M23 managed to seize the place known as ‘trois antennes’ of Mushaki but with the objective of taking control of this entire strategic locality.
“It was since 3 a.m. that the M23 rebels attacked FARDC positions. But now the enemy controls Mushaki’s antennas, the fighting is still ongoing. I am in Rutoboko. For the moment, the rebels occupy the three branches of Mushaki. It’s a few meters from Mushaki center. The rebels are here. The residents are moving in droves,” says a local resident.
Olivier Mungwiko, spokesperson for the Sake youth parliament, confirms that the strategic city of Mushaki, the last barrier before Sake and Goma, has already come under the control of the M23.
“The looting started in the morning. The rebels repeatedly wanted to take Mushaki and encountered resistance from our comaptriotes and the FARDC. It was around 10 a.m. that our fighters gave in. A resident there tells me that the M23 already occupies the region. Two bombs fell in the village of Mitumbala, 4 km from Mushaki,” he said.
The army used its air force before the capture of Mushaki by the M23. The military spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Njike Kaiko Guillaume, indicates for his part that the M23 “infiltrated” into Mushaki.
“Since yesterday night until today, the FARDC are containing the enemy M23/RDF who attacked Mushaki on different axes, notably the Tuonane-Mushaki and Kingi-Mushaki axis. We are containing it in the hills above Mushaki and we are putting in place all possible strategies to hunt down the enemy who has infiltrated Mushaki. In Mushaki there is a population and the strategies that are being put in place are so that we cannot cause collateral damage to our population,” he told ACTUALITE.CD. , Lieutenant Colonel Njike Kaiko Guillaume.
A relative lull was, however, observed on Wednesday on several lines of fighting in the Kamuronza and Bashali Mokoto groups, in Masisi territory. This, after approximately 48 hours of fighting between the FARDC, supported by self-defense groups, called “Wazalendo”, and the M23 coalition.
