Xerox soldiers, YouTube commanders and Twitter brigades: information warfare in eastern Congo.

The article examines the evolution of information warfare in contemporary conflicts, focusing on the digitization, democratization, and polarization of conflict-related communication, particularly in the African Great Lakes region of eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It introduces the concept of "reciprocal warscapes," where battlefield events and digital warfare mutually influence each other, reshaping conflict dynamics both offline and online. Drawing on long-term ethnographic and digital research, the article highlights how social media platforms have lowered barriers to participation in information warfare, enabling diverse actors—including armed groups, civilians, diasporas, and politicians—to contest narratives and mobilize support. The study underscores the complex interplay between digital connectivity and violent conflict in a region often overlooked by mainstream scholarship, revealing how digital information warfare amplifies polarization and affects military and political developments.