Lieutenant General Pacifique Masunzu, commander of the third zone of the Armed Forces of the State in Kinshasa, has deployed a significant number of troops to the Kalehe territory to confront the M23 militia, which has already seized several areas within this territory located in the South Kivu Province.
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Our sources confirm that on January 24, 2025, government forces, including units from Burundi, FARDC, FDLR, and Wazalendo, advanced along the Minova route originating from Kavumu in the Kabare territory of South Kivu.
These developments indicate that the decision to deploy substantial forces via the Minova route was made by Lt. Gen. Pacifique Masunzu during his recent arrival in Bukavu, coming from Goma.
Masunzu’s strategic move aims to maximize his final opportunity to combat the M23 fighters, who are approaching to capture the city of Goma and are also targeting Bukavu, as announced by the leadership of the M23 group.
At the beginning of this week, the M23 militia seized the city of Minova, considered the capital of the Kalehe territory. Following the capture of Minova, the militants also took control of other areas, including Nyabibwe, located approximately 64 kilometers from Bukavu.
Before arriving in Bukavu from Kisangani, Masunzu traveled to Bujumbura in Burundi, where he sought to request an increase in Burundi’s military presence in the eastern part of the DRC.
On Tuesday of this week, Masunzu departed Bujumbura and immediately proceeded to Bukavu, where he stayed overnight before heading to Goma. After reports emerged that the governor of the Kivu province had fallen on the battlefield, Masunzu returned once more to Bukavu.
Some sources suggest that Masunzu fled Goma because the M23 is nearing the city’s capture, prompting him to attempt his final stand in Bukavu, South Kivu.
Lt. Gen. Pacifique Masunzu is preparing to confront the M23 group as the city of Goma falls into disarray, with residents deprived of water, electricity, and internet access.
This issue was prominently reported on the evening of January 24, 2025, though it is said to have begun in the early morning hours when residents woke up to find their phones without internet connectivity, and much of the city plunged into darkness due to the lack of electricity and water.
Fear grips the inhabitants of Goma, leaving everyone wondering how events will unfold, especially as the conflict between the DRC Armed Forces and M23 is occurring just a few kilometers from the city center.
These events coincide with intense fighting on the morning of Saturday, January 25, 2025, in Mugunga, a district within Goma.
Eyewitnesses report: “Fierce fighting is ongoing this morning in Mugunga, and the DRC Armed Forces are retreating rapidly.”
Further testimonies add: “The FARDC and their commanders have no choice but to flee.”
Amid these developments, the M23 militia has also declared its readiness to retaliate against any offensives, signaling a potential escalation in the conflict as both sides brace for intense confrontations.
