Kabila Forms New Coalition With M23-Linked Forces in Eastern DRC

Former Democratic Republic of the Congo President Joseph Kabila has announced a new political-military coalition involving armed groups, including members of M23, in a move that could reshape the conflict in the country’s east.

Kabila introduced the Front pour la Refondation de la Nation (FRN) from his residence in Goma on Monday and said he would lead the alliance. The coalition is intended to replace the M23-Congo River Alliance (AFC) partnership.

Corneille Nangaa and Bertrand Bisimwa were named as deputies, while Freddy Kaniki will serve as secretary-general. Sultani Makenga was appointed army chief.

A new political and military alignment

The announcement formalises Kabila’s alignment with forces linked to the rebellion and supports long-standing allegations from the government in Kinshasa that he had ties to the M23-AFC alliance.

Claude Ibalanky, a spokesperson for the coalition, said the movement aimed to “put an end to tyranny by any means necessary, including the use of force.”

The statement has prompted concern over the possibility of further escalation in North and South Kivu, where M23 currently controls territory including the cities of Goma and Bukavu, as well as border crossings with Rwanda and Uganda.

The United States and the United Nations accuse Rwanda of backing M23, although Kigali denies the allegation. The conflict has displaced more than 7.8 million people and left 28 million facing food shortages, according to figures cited by the source.

Pressure on peace efforts

Kabila’s move comes as diplomatic efforts continue. The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda signed a United States-led peace agreement in June 2025, while the DRC and M23-AFC signed the Doha Framework last November and were expected to meet this month.

Analysts have warned that the new alliance could complicate those initiatives. Bram Verelst of the Institute for Security Studies said Kinshasa was likely to take a harder position toward both the rebel movement and Kabila, including possible regional efforts to isolate the FRN.

“We are likely to see a hardening of Kinshasa’s position toward the rebel movement and Kabila, including efforts to isolate Kabila and FRN regionally,” Verelst said.

He added that the main danger could be to the Doha process, while the effect on the battlefield would depend on whether Kabila can exert control over the rebellion and build support beyond North and South Kivu.

“What this means for the conflict on the ground will depend on the capacity of Kabila to take control over the rebellion and to build and expand alliances beyond North and South Kivu,” Verelst said.

Kabila’s return to the conflict

Kabila became president in 2001 after the assassination of his father, Laurent Kabila. He had previously served as an army chief and fought in the two Congo civil wars. His presidency was associated with allegations of rights violations and corruption.

His term officially ended in 2016, but he remained in office until 2019. He went into self-imposed exile in South Africa in 2023. A military court in Kinshasa later sentenced him to death over charges including treason and war crimes, based on allegations of collaboration with Rwanda and M23-AFC. The United States also imposed sanctions on him in April, alleging that he funded rebel groups.

Congolese people have expressed concern that the latest development could intensify the fighting and encourage soldiers to defect to Kabila, according to Al Jazeera reporter Alain Uaykani. The source does not establish that any defections have taken place.

M23 emerged in 2012 from remnants of Congolese Tutsi armed groups and says it is defending the rights of minority Congolese Tutsis. The group captured Goma again in January 2025 after major offensives by AFC-M23, in battles during which nearly 3,000 civilians were reportedly killed.