2017 CNPSC offensive

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2017 CNPSC offensive
Part of the Kivu Conflict
Date 1 June 2017 – 26 December 2017
(6 months, 3 weeks and 4 days)
Location
South Kivu, DRC
Result
Military stalemate
Some towns remain under CNPSC control
FARDC counter-offensive starting in December[3]
Belligerents
CNPSC Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo
United Nations MONUSCO[1]
Ngumino[2]
Commanders and leaders
William Yakutumba (CNPSC chairman)
Ebu Ela Kitungano (Mai-Mai Ebu Ela commander)
Sheh Assani Mitende (Mai-Mai Malaika commander)
René Itongwa (Mai-Mai René commander)
Réunion Warusasa (Mai-Mai Réunion commander)
Christophe Mukua Aigle (Mai-Mai Aigle commander)[3] Democratic Republic of the
Congo Didier Etumba (FARDC chief)[4]
Democratic Republic of the Congo Gaetan Kakudji Bobo (33rd Military Region commander)
Democratic Republic of the Congo Maoro Ruterera (FARDC unit commander)[5]
Democratic Republic of the Congo Samy Matumo (FARDC unit commander)[3]
Casualties and losses
6+ killed[6] 80+ killed[1]
80,000+ displaced
The 2017 CNPSC offensive was a military offensive launched by rebels of the National
Coalition of the People for the Sovereignty of Congo (CNPSC) on 30 June 2017 against
security forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and MONUSCO. The goal of the
offensive was to capture major settlements, mainly in South Kivu province in order to raise
support for a popular uprising against then-president Joseph Kabila, who the coalition had
deemed as an illegitimate president.[5]

The offensive culminated in the Battle of Uvira in which rebels attempted to capture the
major city, but were eventually pushed out by state security forces.[7] The offensive
continued after the battle, but then ended as a counter offensive by the FARDC began in
December.[3]

Contents
1 Background
2 The Offensive
2.1 June
2.2 July
2.3 August
2.4 September
2.5 October
2.6 November
2.7 December
3 Aftermath
4 References
Background[edit]
Main article: National Coalition of the People for the Sovereignty of Congo
The CNPSC coalition was brokered by William Yakutumba, a prominent Mai-Mai
commander involved in armed rebellion since the 1990s.[8] It unified around 12 Mai-Mai
groups into a coalition, aimed at removing the government of Joseph Kabila, who had
delayed scheduled elections in late 2016. The idea of the coalition had been around since
about 2013, but only became in existence after Kabila's electoral delay. Several armed
groups came to be prominent in the group, notably Yakutumba's PARC-FAAL, the Mai-Mai
Malaika, and the Uvira hills-based Mai-Mai groups of René Itongwa, Réunion Warusasa, and
several others.[9]