In a communiqué issued on Sunday, the group said coalition forces composed of the Congolese army (FARDC), FDLR, Mai-Mai/Wazalendo militias, foreign mercenaries, and the Burundi National Defence Force (FDNB) destroyed a bridge in Mpeti, Walikale Territory.
According to the statement, the incident has cut off riverside communities from vital necessities, disrupting the movement of people and goods. The group denounced the act as 'deliberate sabotage' and a violation of the ceasefire framework agreed under the Doha peace process.
'This premeditated and systematic campaign to destroy the Congolese people's basic infrastructure is isolating civilian populations and obstructing the free movement of people and goods,' the AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka stated.
Terming the attacks as 'crimes against humanity,' the group accused Kinshasa and its allies of pursuing a strategy designed to 'starve and suffocate innocent civilians.' The movement also alleged that Uvira has been turned into 'a command centre of terror' for coordinating such operations.
While vowing to 'protect and defend civilians,' the AFC/M23 reaffirmed its determination to neutralise 'negative forces' threatening populations in eastern Congo.
The accusations come amid a highly volatile situation in eastern DRC, where both the Kinshasa government and M23 frequently trade blame over ceasefire violations and renewed hostilities. Regional leaders and international partners continue to push for a negotiated settlement, but clashes and claims of atrocities persist on the ground.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
