[2] Uvira, situated along Lake Tanganyika approximately 25 kilometers from Bujumbura, Burundi, serves as South Kivu's second-largest urban center.

These displaced persons were initially accommodated in temporary facilities within Burundi's Cibitoke and Bubanza provinces, pending relocation away from the border region in accordance with Burundian regulations.

[9] The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) strategically withdrew from Bukavu starting on February 14, 2025, aiming to establish defensive positions outside the city while minimizing civilian casualties.

[10] From February 15–17, 2025, during the withdrawal and during M23 advances, armed confrontations erupted between FARDC forces and Wazalendo fighters, resulting in twelve fatalities among both military personnel and civilians.

[9] These clashes, occurring in settlements including Kamanyola, Sange, and Uvira, emerged when Wazalendo fighters attempted to prevent FARDC personnel from retreating or deserting.

[10] By February 18, M23 forces secured Kamanyola, a strategic location situated 25 kilometers south of Bukavu, after overwhelming the disorganized FARDC defensive positions.

[9] On February 19, Médecins Sans Frontières reported that combat occurred along stretches of the N5 highway from Bukavu to Uvira, leading to dozens of injuries.

Multiple military vehicles crossed back into Burundi from South Kivu, though some troops remained temporarily stationed near the border region.

[15] On February 24 the military governor of South Kivu arrived in Uvira with 600 FARDC soldiers and police officers, having left Bukavu when it fell to M23.

Roughly 25,000 internally displaced persons had already sought refuge in Uvira prior to the February escalations, with the actual number likely exceeding official estimates, as security conditions prevented comprehensive assessments.

On the same day, the United Nations' High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk accused M23 of summarily killing children, attacking hospitals, and raiding and warehouses containing humanitarian aid.