The military spokesperson of the Congo River Alliance and M23 group, Lieutenant-Colonel Willy Ngoma, is feared dead following a drone strike by Congolese government forces on the rebel group position on Tuesday morning.
Reports from multiple Congolese media outlets suggest that Ngoma was killed in Rubaya in North Kivu.
The M23 have not confirmed the reports but their official social media page posted a black image with a broken-heart emoji four hours ago.
Earlier in the morning, the group had condomned drone attacks on their position but did not mention casualties.
Congolese war correspondent Steve Wembi, quoting unnamed high-ranking M23 sources, said Ngoma was killed "during the night of February 23 to 24, 2026, in a drone strike attributed to Congolese government forces."
Sources say Col Ngoma was targeted in the drone strike.
Lt Col Ngoma was one of M23’s most visible commanders and a key architect in the group’s operational and communication strategy. He frequently appeared in public statements and media presentations as the face of the group’s military leadership.
Local reports allege the incident occurred in the early hours near Rubaya, a key mining area in North Kivu province that has strategic importance to the region’s ongoing conflict.
Ngoma rose to prominence alongside M23’s resurgence in eastern Congo from 2021 onward, as the group reclaimed territory across parts of North and South Kivu.
In late January 2025, M23 forces seized the provincial capitals of Goma in North Kivu before advancing to Bukavu in South Kivu weeks later, highlighting a major shift in the dynamics of the conflict.
They advanced as far as Uvira in December 2025 before withdrawing under intense international diplomatic and political pressure.
Ngoma’s role extended beyond communication; he was regarded as a senior military strategist, regularly articulating the rebel movement’s positions and actions.
Because of his leadership, the United Nations Security Council and other international sanctions regimes have listed him among individuals responsible for planning and supporting armed activities that have contributed to instability and human rights abuses in eastern Congo.
The alleged loss of one of M23’s top commanders — if confirmed — would mark a significant development in the ongoing conflict and could influence both military engagements and diplomatic negotiations.
For now, observers continue to await official confirmation from primary sources as reports circulate about Ngoma’s possible death.