DistantNews
Support us
🇨🇩 DR Congo /Conflict & Security

Wazalendo-M23 Fighting Resumes in Masisi Ahead of Crucial State Exams

From Radio Okapi · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Violent clashes between the AFC-M23 rebels and Wazalendo groups have resumed in Muhahirwa village, Masisi territory, North Kivu.
  • The renewed fighting has caused new population displacements and raises concerns for students preparing for the State Exam, scheduled to begin June 22.
  • Local civil society is calling for the relocation of exam centers to areas with more stable security, fearing the ongoing conflict will prevent many candidates from participating.

Renewed fighting between AFC-M23 rebels and a coalition of Wazalendo groups in Muhahirwa village, Masisi territory, North Kivu, has sparked alarm among local residents and civil society. The clashes, which began Thursday after a period of calm, have forced new population displacements and threaten to disrupt the upcoming State Exam.

The situation has caused new population displacements. Several residents have left their villages to take shelter from the fighting, while insecurity continues to disrupt daily activities.

— Local sourcesDescribing the immediate impact of the renewed fighting on the civilian population.

Local civil society representatives expressed grave concern on Saturday, noting that heavy weapons fire has been heard in the area between Bibatama and Kasenyi. The renewed violence is particularly worrying as the State Exam for secondary school finalists is scheduled to begin on Monday, June 22.

Exam centers Luke 1 and Luke 2, previously located in the Nyamaboko groupment, were already relocated to Kinigi and Rubaya due to insecurity. However, students must now travel through the Kibabi groupment, the current site of the clashes, to reach these centers. Civil society fears this puts students at significant risk.

The civil society of the Katoyi sector is particularly concerned about the fate of secondary school finalists whose State Exam papers are due to begin on Monday.

— Local civil societyHighlighting the specific threat to students preparing for a critical national examination.

In response, local actors are urging educational authorities to move the exam centers again, this time to Biriko and Ntoto in the neighboring Walikale territory, where the security situation is considered more stable. They fear that continued fighting could prevent numerous candidates from taking the crucial national exams.

Students are exposed to significant security risks. We call on the educational authorities to relocate the exam centers to Biriko and Ntoto, in the neighboring territory of Walikale, where the security situation is considered relatively stable.

— Civil societyProposing a solution to ensure students can safely take their exams.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Radio Okapi in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog