RUSAGARA MUVUNANKIKO Valens
AFC/M23 coalition has accused the Congolese government of repeatedly violating the ceasefire and warned that recent remarks by President Félix Tshisekedi risk undermining ongoing peace negotiations in Doha, Qatar.
In a statement issued on Thursday, AFC/M23 Political Coordinator Corneille Nangaa Yobeluo expressed concern over the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in the Minembwe area and the Hauts Plateaux of Fizi Territory in South Kivu Province. The movement claimed that civilians continue to suffer from violence, displacement, and restricted access to essential services.
“We are here to carry the voice of those whose voices are no longer heard, whose suffering is too often ignored, and who continue to die in silence while the world looks elsewhere,” Nangaa said in the statement.
The AFC/M23 communication noted that while global attention is focused on the FIFA World Cup in the United States, insecurity and the Ebola outbreak continue to affect parts of eastern Congo, particularly Ituri, Beni, and Lubero. The group argued that these crises should not be forgotten amid international attention on other events.
According to the movement, the humanitarian situation in Minembwe has become increasingly severe following what it described as more than fourteen months of blockade in the Hauts Plateaux region of Fizi. AFC/M23 alleged that major access routes have been cut off, humanitarian aid deliveries blocked, and essential services largely paralyzed.
“Entire families have been deprived of food supplies, medicines and other essential goods, while medical evacuations have become extremely difficult, if not impossible in some cases,” the statement said.
The group further accused forces aligned with the Kinshasa government of carrying out attacks against civilian-populated areas, including drone strikes and ground offensives. It cited several incidents that it claimed occurred during June 2026, including an ambush targeting Banyamulenge civilians and bombardments in villages across the Hauts Plateaux region. However, the claims have not been independently verified.
A significant portion of the statement focused on remarks made by President Félix Tshisekedi during an event in Houston, Texas. AFC/M23 argued that the Congolese leader’s comments reflected a commitment to a military solution despite ongoing peace efforts.
“This irresponsible and warlike speech officially embraces the military option at the highest level of the state, calling into question the ongoing peace process and mediation efforts,” Nangaa stated.
The movement said it viewed Tshisekedi’s remarks as a threat to the ceasefire framework and warned that they could negatively affect confidence-building measures established through the Doha talks.
In one of the strongest passages of the statement, AFC/M23 declared that Kinshasa’s stance left it with limited options.
“This militaristic posture of the Kinshasa regime leaves us with no other choice than to defend ourselves in order to systematically eliminate this openly proclaimed threat,” the group said.
AFC/M23 also used the statement to highlight what it described as its commitment to the peace process. The movement cited the release of hundreds of prisoners of war and the withdrawal of its forces from several localities, including Walikale, Uvira, Kipese, and other areas in North and South Kivu, as evidence of its willingness to support de-escalation efforts.
According to Nangaa, those actions were intended to build confidence and demonstrate the group’s support for a political solution to the conflict. He accused the government in Kinshasa of failing to reciprocate those measures.
“Several hundreds of prisoners of war have been released by AFC/M23 as a confidence-building measure, but the expected reciprocal commitments from Kinshasa have not been implemented,” the statement said.
The group also criticized what it called the silence of international mediators, diplomatic missions, and human rights organizations regarding developments in Minembwe and the wider eastern Congo region.
“The mediators of the Doha peace talks, diplomatic missions, international agencies and human rights organizations are informed of the continued deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation,” Nangaa said. “This lack of action reinforces the feeling of impunity and encourages the continuation of violence.”
Concluding the statement, AFC/M23 reiterated its support for dialogue but warned that its patience was not unlimited.
“Our patience, our availability, our energy and our determination to bring peace to the Congolese people through dialogue cannot be without limits,” Nangaa declared.
The statement comes as peace efforts mediated by Qatar continue amid persistent tensions between AFC/M23 and the Congolese government. While both sides have publicly expressed support for negotiations, renewed accusations and increasingly confrontational rhetoric continue to raise concerns about the future of the peace process in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
