The M23 rebel movement and its umbrella coalition, the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), are investigating possible betrayal within their ranks after a targeted drone strike killed senior commanders in Masisi territory, North Kivu.
M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka condemned the attack and accused the Congolese government of undermining the ceasefire.
“The Congolese people and the international community are invited to take note, with the utmost attention, of the repeated violations of the ceasefire perpetrated by the Kinshasa regime, which gravely undermine the efforts at de-escalation,” Kanyuka said.
The coalition comprises M23, a disciplined armed group formed from mutinous former FARDC soldiers in 2012, and AFC, a broader politico-military alliance led politically by Corneille Nangaa, which coordinates with M23’s military operations.
While M23 provides the armed wing, the AFC oversees political strategy and civilian administration.
The drone strike, carried out by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC), targeted a secured residence on Kasuku farm, a strategic hub in Masisi known for its coltan mining.
Lieutenant Colonel Willy Ngoma, M23 military spokesperson and commander, was killed, along with other senior figures including Éric Kazungu, top security aides to Colonel Imani Nzenze, and an ADC to the South Kivu governor.
Sources say the strike’s precision has led M23 leadership to suspect insider information facilitated the attack. At least two members of the rebel coalition, including senior officers, are under investigation as possible double agents working for Kinshasa.
Despite the losses, M23 launched a counter-offensive and recaptured the villages of Kasenyi and Luke on February 26, one day after government forces briefly seized them.
Rebel reinforcements from Rutshuru territory reportedly strengthened the operation.
Fierce clashes centered on strategic positions, prompting panic among residents. Local leaders and civil society sources warned that chronic instability in Masisi could worsen, as civilians remain trapped amid ongoing confrontations. No official casualty figures have yet been released.
The recapture underscores the fluidity of frontlines in North Kivu, where rebel and government forces continue to contest control over resource-rich territories.
Analysts say the combination of drone strikes, potential infiltration, and swift counter-offensives illustrates both the military sophistication and internal vulnerabilities of the AFC/M23 coalition.