BUKAVU, Democratic Republic of Congo — The Congolese army says it is preparing a counteroffensive in South Kivu province after fighters from the Front pour la Refondation de la Nation seized localities in the Bunyakiri area, forcing civilians to flee and disrupting traffic on a strategic road corridor.
FRN fighters took control of Bitale, in Kalehe territory, on November 7, 2026. They advanced into Bulambika the following day after the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known as the FARDC, and allied Wazalendo fighters withdrew from their positions.
Major Dieudonné Kasereka, spokesperson for the FARDC’s 34th military region, announced on November 9 that preparations were underway to recover the lost positions. His statement indicated that the army believed it had halted the FRN advance at Bulambika but had not yet begun the planned counterattack.
“Nous avons fixé l’ennemi. Il est stoppé au niveau de Bulambika. Nous préparons la contre-attaque et nous allons récupérer toutes les zones perdues,” Kasereka told Actualite.cd. He said the opposing forces had been contained at Bulambika and that the army intended to regain all areas it had lost.
Control remains divided across Bunyakiri
Reports from the area said Bitale and Bulambika were under FRN control following the latest fighting. Actualite.cd and CongoRassure also reported that the group held Kambali, although that locality’s status was less certain because it was not separately confirmed by Africanews and control on the ground remained fluid.
Other parts of the wider Bunyakiri area, including Mubugu, Kambegete, Irangi and Hombo-Sud, remained under the control of the FARDC and allied forces, according to the reports. The divided control left the army and FRN positioned across a zone that includes settlements and transport links used by residents and traders.
The army’s announcement described preparations rather than a completed operation. No timetable was given for the counteroffensive, and there was no independently established account of troop movements or the number of fighters involved on either side.
Civilians flee toward Hombo area
The clashes and changes of control in Bitale and Bulambika prompted residents to move toward Hombo-Sud, Hombo-Nord and nearby villages. Some displaced people were being accommodated by host families, while others had taken shelter in schools and churches.
The number of people displaced had not been established. The absence of a confirmed figure, combined with continuing uncertainty over control of some positions, complicated efforts to assess the immediate humanitarian impact of the fighting.
The displacement adds pressure on communities receiving people from the affected localities. Schools and churches being used as temporary shelter may also face growing demands if insecurity prevents families from returning or if fighting spreads to additional areas.
Fighting threatens strategic road traffic
Bunyakiri lies along National Road 3, commonly known as the RN3, on the route connecting Bukavu, Miti, Bunyakiri, Hombo and Walikale before continuing toward Kisangani. The corridor supports civilian travel as well as the movement of goods between settlements across the region.
The latest fighting has disrupted civilian movement and raised concerns about trade and other traffic along the route. Changes in control around Bunyakiri can affect access between communities on the RN3 even when individual sections remain outside the immediate combat zone.
With the FRN holding at least Bitale and Bulambika and the FARDC retaining several other localities, the security situation remained unsettled. Kasereka’s statement signaled the army’s intention to reverse the recent losses, but the outcome of the planned operation and the effect on displaced residents were not yet clear.
