M23 offensive on Kanyabayonga forces 150,000 civilians to flee
A major offensive by the M23 armed group capturing the strategic town of Kanyabayonga and surrounding areas in North Kivu's Rutshuru territory displaced approximately 150,000 people. Civilians, mainly women and children, fled towards Lubero and Butembo to escape intense combat and heavy artillery shelling between M23 and the Congolese armed forces. MONUSCO peacekeepers deployed patrols to assist the displaced, who are now sheltering in overcrowded and highly unsafe conditions lacking food and water.
Date: June 30, 2026
Location: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Conflict: M23 Rebellion
Category: ground battle
Severity: CRITICAL
Displaced: 150,000
Source: Intersos / ReliefWeb