Former DR Congo President Kabila Leads New Coalition With M23 Rebels
publishers 22articles 30first reported 12 Oct, 19:35 UTCdeveloping since 13 Oct · 10 editions
Former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila has launched a political-military coalition that includes leaders of the M23 rebellion and succeeds the 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 movement would unite “resistance forces” against what it called tyranny and pursue its aims “by all means, including force.” The Congolese government had not immediately responded.
Kabila will lead the coalition, while former AFC leader Corneille Nangaa, M23 political leader Bertrand Bisimwa, military commander Sultani Makenga and Freddy Kaniki will serve as deputies. The announcement places Kabila publicly at the head of a movement involving rebels he had previously denied supporting.
Congolese authorities have long accused Kabila of backing AFC/M23. In September 2025, a military court sentenced him to death in absentia after convicting him of treason, war crimes and other offenses connected to the rebellion. Kabila denies the allegations and calls the prosecution politically motivated.
M23 seized Goma and Bukavu during its 2025 offensive and controls substantial territory in eastern Congo. The United Nations, the Congolese government and Western governments accuse Rwanda of supporting M23 and exerting control over it. Rwanda denies backing the rebels.
Kabila governed Congo from 2001 until 2019, when Félix Tshisekedi succeeded him following a disputed election.
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Written from 8 articles, 5 with the publisher's own text; 6 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 24 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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