Before M23 entered Kavumu, a significant number of soldiers from the DRC's coalition forces were seen fleeing the town, heading towards Bukavu, which is approximately 25 kilometres from Kavumu.
A resident in the town was heard saying, 'They have fled. M23 has now reached Kavumu. M23 is chasing them. The soldiers are running fast.'
Kavumu is a strategic location in South Kivu, as it hosts an airport that was used by the DRC's coalition forces to launch attacks on M23 positions.
This airport was also previously utilised by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in South Kivu before its withdrawal in early 2024.
M23's political spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka, confirmed the capture of Kavumu and its airport, stating that the move was aimed at neutralising threats from the area.
"As we have repeatedly emphasized, we have eliminated the threat at its source. Kavumu Airport posed a danger to the civilian population in the liberated areas and to our positions. Now, Kavumu and its surroundings, including the airport, are under the control of the AFC/M23," said Kanyuka.
This capture comes after M23 fighters seized the Kabamba and Katana trading centres in Kabare territory during the night of 13 to 14 February 2025.
The DRC government's coalition forces now fear that M23 may soon advance on Bukavu, the de facto capital of South Kivu.
Some soldiers have begun fleeing to other provinces, such as Tanganyika. Meanwhile, the DRC military continues its efforts to regroup and redeploy its forces for a counteroffensive.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/m23-confirms-the-capture-of-kavumu-and-its-airport
