Kigali, October 13, 2026 — Lawrence Kanyuka, the political spokesperson for the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), said attacks by forces he described as supporting the Kinshasa government had targeted several areas in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including Minembwe, Walungu, Masisi and Kalehe.
In a statement titled “Update on the War Imposed by the Kinshasa Regime,” Kanyuka said on Tuesday that the forces had intensified their offensives across multiple fronts, triggering further civilian displacement and worsening the humanitarian situation in the region.
According to Kanyuka, the first attack began at approximately 5:30 a.m., when forces he attributed to the Kinshasa government began shelling Rugezi and surrounding areas in the Minembwe region.
He said further attacks were launched at around 6:30 a.m. against the densely populated areas of Nabumbu and Mitimbili, as well as their surroundings, in the Kaziba sector of Walungu territory.
At approximately 6:45 a.m., simultaneous attacks targeted Kasovu and Kumadepo in Masisi territory, as well as Rumbishi in Kalehe territory, according to the statement.
Kanyuka said FRN forces had mobilised to protect civilians and respond to the ongoing attacks.
He also accused forces aligned with the Kinshasa government of deploying fighters from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and foreign mercenaries on the front lines. The allegations were not independently substantiated in the statement.
The statement did not provide figures for people killed or injured, nor did it specify how many civilians had been displaced by the reported attacks.
No response from the Kinshasa government to the allegations was included in the information provided by FRN.
The reported attacks come amid persistent insecurity in eastern DRC, particularly in parts of South Kivu and North Kivu, where fighting involving various armed groups and government-aligned forces has repeatedly threatened civilian safety and disrupted access to essential services.
The claims regarding the attacks, the involvement of FDLR fighters and foreign mercenaries, and the resulting civilian displacement could not be independently verified from the statement alone.
