Bunyakiri is a town located in the high plateau of Kalehe Territory in the South Kivu Province in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Bunyakiri is nearby the Bulehe and Mulamba villages. It is mainly inhabited by Tembo, Havu, Twa and Hunde ethnic groups.

The region boasts expansive tracts of fertile land and a favorable climate, making it conducive to agriculture. Local farmers cultivate various crops, including coffee. The region is known for producing high-quality coffee beans. Apart from coffee, other crops grown in the area include maize, beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, eggplants, bananas, and vegetables.

For over three decades, Bunyakiri has been plagued by persistent violence. Multiple armed groups operate in the region, engaging in illegal mining, extortion, and violence against local communities. By the end of October 2018, the conflict had compelled over 12,000 households of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to abandon their homes, as reported by the World Food Programme.

During the persecution of Hutu refugees in the First Congo War by the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire (AFDL) and the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), Bunyakiri served as a refuge for the Hutu refugees. Additionally, it functioned as a transit point for refugees seeking to move to Walikale Territory. From December 22nd to December 23rd, 1997, AFDL/RPA soldiers brutally killed 22 civilians at the Bulambika commercial center in Bunyakiri.

Since the Second Congo War, there has been an ongoing conflict between the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) and Raia Mutomboki. The FDLR, composed largely of individuals who were involved in the Rwandan Genocide, has been accused of carrying out various human rights abuses, such as attacks on civilians, illegal mining, and extortion. Raia Mutomboki, on the other hand, is a predominantly Congolese armed group that emerged as a local defense force in response to the FDLR's presence. The conflict between these two groups has resulted in further violence and instability in the region, exacerbating the suffering of local communities.

In November 2005, the FDLR occupied the villages of Bushi bwa Mbombo, Kiteyala, and Kibiriro in Bunyakiri. Subsequently, the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), operating under the authority of the 10th Military Region, regained control over these three villages. In February 2006, the FARDC launched a counter-offensive against the FDLR rebels in the Kahuzi-Biéga National Park. According to military sources contacted by Radio Okapi, the fighting continued around Manga, near the town of Bunyakiri. Ikingi, which was one of the FDLR bases, came under the control of the FARDC. In March 2006, the FARDC, supported by MONUC, successfully recaptured the villages of Chibiriro and Manga from the FDLR in Bunyakiri.

In March 2008, the FDLR gained control over ten localities in Bunyakiri. Among the localities under FDLR control include Ekingi, Ramba, Manga, Katshiri, and others. By August 2008, 10 FDLR fighters were repatriated to Rwanda. Out of these returnees, 7 from the high plateaus of Uvira, 2 from Bunyakiri, and another who had been detained for several days in the Saio military cell in Bukavu.

In February 2009, 335 FDLR rebels from Bunyakiri, Sange, and Uvira were repatriated to Rwanda. The head of the Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation, Resettlement, and Reintegration (DDRRR) of MONUSCO identified 217 Rwandan Hutu combatants and their dependents who are located in various centers. Among them, there were 60 combatants and 157 dependents and civilians. Minister of National Defense Charles Mwando Nsimba announced the commencement of the Kimya II Operation, which aims to track down FDLR rebels in the South Kivu Province.