The Allied Forces of Congo (AFC)/March 23 Movement (M23) has forcefully condemned what it describes as the dangerous and inflammatory rhetoric from President Félix Tshisekedi, delivered during his recent speech in Houston, USA, in front of Congolese expatriates following the DRC-Portugal World Cup match. The Congolese head of state addressed the security situation in eastern DRC, vowing imminent military operations to reclaim territories currently controlled by the armed group.
During a press briefing held Thursday, June 18, 2026, in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, AFC/M23 political coordinator Corneille Nangaa reiterated the movement’s commitment to defending itself against threats from Kinshasa. He expressed bewilderment at the international community’s silence, suggesting it borders on complicity, particularly as global partners are fully aware of the escalating ground attacks by government forces that violate both ceasefire commitments and ongoing diplomatic peace efforts.
Nangaa declared:
“Faced with this dire situation and the resulting calamities, we must bear responsibility before God, History, and our Nation. The deafening silence from peace process mediators and international partners amounts to complicity. The international community possesses detailed information about ground realities, massive civilian casualties, and the perpetrators of these atrocities.”
The AFC/M23 leader continued:
“Peace negotiators in Doha, diplomatic missions, international agencies, and human rights organizations are all informed of the continuous deterioration of the security and humanitarian crisis in the region, particularly in the Minembwe Highlands. This inaction fosters impunity and perpetuates violence.”
The movement accused President Tshisekedi of systematically undermining peace initiatives while international partners remain passive observers. Nangaa emphasized that eastern DRC’s suffering is not a peripheral tragedy occurring “2,000 kilometers from Kinshasa,” but a crisis demanding equal attention and protection for every life lost.
He highlighted ongoing obstacles, stating:
“We reject the notion that the Eastern DRC tragedy is a peripheral issue. Every human life deserves equal protection. We draw attention to the numerous obstacles, deceptions, manipulations, and intrigues orchestrated by President Tshisekedi and his international partners, which gravely compromise peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo.”
Nangaa further condemned the contradictory actions undermining sincere de-escalation efforts:
“The strengthening of military deployments and continuous troop reinforcements directly contradict genuine peace process objectives. While the AFC/M23 has released hundreds of prisoners of war as a goodwill gesture, reciprocal commitments from the Kinshasa regime have remained unfulfilled.”
This latest verbal confrontation between Kinshasa and the AFC/M23—backed by Rwanda—occurs amid diplomatic attempts such as the Washington Accords and Doha Process aimed at establishing lasting ceasefires and relaunching dialogue between conflict parties. However, these initiatives have yet to yield concrete results on the ground, where hostilities persist between rebels and government forces.
Calls from national, regional, and international voices for adherence to peace agreement commitments have so far proven ineffective. The gap between diplomatic progress on paper and ground realities continues to widen, with each party interpreting agreements through its own lens, further complicating implementation.
Clément Muamba