Draft:Twirwaneho

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Twirwaneho
Dates of operation	2019 - Present
Headquarters	Mulenge, DRC
Part of	Congo River Alliance
Allies	RED-Tabara Congo River Alliance M23
Opponents	Mai-Mai militias Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda Democratic Republic of the Congo United Nations MONUSCO

Twirwaneho is an armed group operating in the South Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Comprising primarily members of the Banyamulenge community, a Tutsi subgroup native to South Kivu Province.

Background

Twirwaneho, formed around 2019, is an armed group originating as a self-defense militia by members of the Banyamulenge community in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The group was created in response to ethnic violence, land disputes, and attacks by rival militias, particularly the Mai-Mai, who targeted the Banyamulenge, a Tutsi-related minority often perceived as outsiders. With the Congolese military (FARDC) seen as unable or unwilling to protect them, the Banyamulenge organized their own self-defense forces, later evolving into Twirwaneho. The situation escalated in 2020 when Colonel Michel Rukunda (Makanika), a former FARDC officer, defected and joined the group, bringing military expertise. Over time, Twirwaneho became more than just a defense force, engaging in clashes with the military and other armed factions.

History

• July 16, 2020, in the village of Kipupu, located in the Mwenga Territory of South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. Armed groups, identified as the Ngumino and Twirwaneho militias, attacked the village, resulting in the deaths of 220 people
• April 21, 2021: Twirwaneho militants attacked the village of Malera, resulting in the death of one civilian, theft of seven cows, and the burning of several houses.
• October 2021: Clashes between the Mai-Mai coalition and Twirwaneho resulted in attacks on villages around Bibokoboko, leading to approximately 30 civilian deaths, including women and children, and significant displacement.
• January 4, 2022, in the village of Kagogo, South Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Twirwaneho-Makanika armed group ambushed a convoy of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC). The confrontation resulted in the deaths of 18 militiamen and two FARDC soldiers, with an additional five soldiers wounded.
• December 25-26, 2024: Clashes erupted between the Congolese army (FARDC) and Twirwaneho fighters in Minembwe. The confrontations led to the deaths of at least 11 Twirwaneho combatants and over 15 FARDC soldiers.
• February 19, Twirwaneho fighters launched an offensive against Minembwe.
• February 21, 2025: Twirwaneho captured Minembwe, a strategic village in Fizi territory, after defeating government troops and causing the withdrawal of Burundian National Defence Force units stationed there. Following this, on February 25, 2025, the group seized the town of Mikenge, further solidifying its presence in the region.
• March 5, 2025: Pro-government militias recaptured Mikenge from Twirwaneho and its allies, including the Burundian RED-Tabara rebels. The insurgent forces subsequently withdrew to Kalinga village, located approximately 16 miles north of Mikenge.
• March 10, 2025: M23 rebels, in coordination with Twirwaneho, advanced southward from Nyangezi village, seizing several areas, including Lwanguku the capital of the Kaziba chiefdom. This advancement positions them to connect their support zones with those of allied militias near Minembwe, potentially allowing them to bypass or confront Burundian troops along the RN5 in the Rusizi Plain near the Burundi-DRC border.