Former DR Congo President Kabila Takes Leadership of New Rebel Coalition
publishers 20articles 25first reported 12 Oct, 19:35 UTCdeveloping since 13 Oct · 10 editions
Former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has launched and taken leadership of a new political-military coalition that includes senior figures from the M23 rebellion and its allied Congo River Alliance, or AFC.
The Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN) was unveiled Monday at Kabila’s residence in Goma, an eastern city controlled by M23 since 2025. Coalition adviser Claude Ibalanky said the group would coordinate “resistance forces” seeking to end what it calls tyranny “by all means, including force.”
Former AFC leader Corneille Nangaa, M23 political leader Bertrand Bisimwa, Freddy Kaniki and M23 military commander Sultani Makenga were named as Kabila’s deputies. Reuters reported that the FRN replaces the AFC-M23 alliance, marking Kabila’s most direct public role in the rebellion after previously denying involvement.
Kabila, who governed DR Congo from 2001 to 2019, has accused President Félix Tshisekedi’s government of corruption, poor governance and military failures in the east. The government had not immediately responded to the coalition’s announcement.
A Congolese military court sentenced Kabila to death in absentia in September 2025 after convicting him of treason, war crimes and crimes against humanity over alleged support for AFC-M23. Kabila denies the allegations and calls the proceedings politically motivated.
The United Nations, the Congolese government and Western governments accuse Rwanda of backing M23 and exerting control over it. Rwanda denies supporting the rebels.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 5 with the publisher's own text; 6 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 18 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- This version written
- 18 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
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