DR Congo: M23 claims mercenaries participated in the drone strike on Sunday
The government coalition continued to violate a truce agreed upon in July by using drones to assault inhabited areas, according to the AFC/M23 rebels in eastern DR Congo on Sunday.
“Since 12:00 p.m. this Sunday, August 24, 2025, these forces, composed notably of foreign mercenaries, have been conducting an offensive targeting the densely populated areas of Kadasomwa and its surroundings as well as our positions,” Lawrence Kanyuka, a spokesperson for the AFC/M XIII.
“These attacks have caused considerable human losses and led to the forced displacement of many compatriots fleeing drone bombings.”
Reports that the rebels had taken over Rubumba, a tiny town in South Kivu province close to Uvira, came hours earlier. The rebels took control of South Kivu’s city, Bukavu, in mid-February.
According to Kanyuka, the rebels in charge of North Kivu’s capital, Goma, must “eliminate the threat at its source.”
In late January, the AFC/M23 took control of Goma, the biggest city in eastern DR Congo, and hundreds of European mercenaries surrendered to the rebels.
After being given safe passage through Rwanda, the mercenaries—who were primarily from Eastern Europe—took to the air to return to their home nations. There have been rumors in recent months that the Congolese government is recruiting new mercenaries from Latin America to engage in the conflict, which has been raging for more than three years.
“Contrary to the Goma scenario, where hundreds of mercenaries were allowed to return unpunished to their homes after massacring our compatriots, their new murderous campaign will guarantee them no safe return,” Kanyuka added.
Resumption of fighting
Since early August, reports of hostilities between the government coalition and the AFC/M23 insurgents have surfaced. On August 18, the deadline for signing a peace agreement under negotiations mediated by Qatar passed.
Even though talks started up again in Doha on August 19, the AFC/M23’s deputy chairman recently stated that the movement’s delegation would not talk about the proposed peace deal unless the government freed prisoners and complied with the terms of the July 19 Declaration of Principles.
Bertrand Bisimwa stated during a press conference in Goma on Friday, “Yes, it’s true, we have a delegation in Doha, we have officially acknowledged it as well.”
“We have stated that the delegation’s sole focus is on discussing the modalities for a ceasefire and the release of prisoners in order to proceed. After completing this step, we can go to the next one.
