Sub-machine-gun and heavy weapon fire resumed on Thursday, September 28, 2017 morning in the hills overlooking the city of Uvira in the province of Sud-Kivu.
It is since 4 am that the population of Uvira is hiding in her homes. Armed men arrived by wooden boats and launched an attack at Kabimba, a town on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, south of Uvira.
« We heard heavy weapon fire everywhere. We shut ourselves up in houses, we only can hear thunders. The militiamen are right next, in the vicinity of the city. They have not yet entered the city, » said a resident of Uvira.
There is no electricity, shops, schools and other institutions are closed.
Military sources said the shots were aimed at clearing the city’s mountainous peripheries and protecting the city. But afterwards, these shots continued on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, south of the city, towards Kalundu, where the FARDC Naval Forces soldiers clashed with militiamen Mayi-Mayi of Yakutumba.
The Mayi-Mayi militia of William Yakutumba promised to march on Uvira after taking control of Mboko, Sunday, September 24.
« Here, the situation is really alarming. There are shots nearly everywhere. Four enemy ships attacked the town early this morning, but the army managed to destroy two, » said a witness on the spot.
The attackers occupied certain localities from Makobola to Mboko, but the FARDC, which received reinforcements on both sides, moved from Lusenda to Mboko and from Uvira to Mboko.