(MENAFN) An emergency session is scheduled for Wednesday in Uvira, South Kivu Province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), following recent fatal confrontations between the national army and local militias, the provincial government announced late Tuesday.

Local outlets report that recent clashes erupted in Uvira between the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) and pro-government militias called Wazalendo, resulting in at least eight deaths.

South Kivu Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi condemned the "verbal and physical violence," while acknowledging "isolated cases" of casualties. He commended the efforts of the FARDC and the "patriotic Wazalendo" in resisting the advance of the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels, who he accused of "seeking to sow division."

The provincial government also rejected claims that Uvira had been surrounded by M23 fighters, labeling such reports as "totally unfounded" and affirming that the front lines remain "fully secured and under the control of the DRC forces."

No specific cause was given for the clashes. However, provincial government spokesperson Didier Kabi, in a separate Monday statement, mentioned "a slight paralysis of activities caused by the gathering of some Wazalendo."

Since January, M23 has seized multiple key cities, including Goma in North Kivu Province and Bukavu in South Kivu Province, intensifying an already critical humanitarian crisis.

In South Kivu, particularly in Uvira—which became the temporary capital after Bukavu fell to M23 in February—the security situation remains precarious. The ongoing presence of armed groups, including M23, has severely disrupted humanitarian aid deliveries and access to vital medical supplies.

The United Nations reports that over 27.8 million people in the DRC face food insecurity, with more than 7 million displaced—many multiple times.

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