The M23 rebel group has called for the immediate withdrawal of Southern African Development Community (SADC) forces from Goma, accusing them of violating recent ceasefire arrangements and backing a failed joint offensive to retake the city.
In a communiqué dated April 12, 2025, the group—officially known as the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23)—condemned what it described as coordinated attacks on April 11 involving the Congolese national army (FARDC), the FDLR militia, and the Wazalendo group.
M23 claimed these operations directly endangered civilian lives and breached ongoing regional agreements.
The offensive, according to the group, was “decisively repelled,” reinforcing its control over Goma, the strategic capital of North Kivu province in eastern DR Congo.
“These attacks violate the existing SADC agreements and delay therefore the rehabilitation project of Goma airport,” the group said in its statement.
The rebel group now insists that the SADC Mission in the DR Congo (SAMIDRC) must leave Goma immediately, accusing the force of collusion and branding their involvement as criminal.
M23 further demanded the surrender of FARDC troops stationed within MONUSCO facilities, intensifying its rhetoric against both regional and international interventions.
Though SADC has not issued an official response, its deployment under SAMIDRC—mandated to support the Congolese government in restoring security—has been a point of contention with the rebels, who argue it constitutes a breach of neutrality.
The FDLR, a militia rooted in Rwandan Hutu power structures, and the local Wazalendo self-defence groups have also been long-standing adversaries of M23, making the coalition a potent symbol of Kinshasa's efforts to recover lost territory.
Lawrence Kanyuka, the AFC/M23’s communications focal point, signed off the communiqué with a stark warning:
“Despite our restraint in response to these persistent criminal acts, the AFC/M23 finds itself compelled to reconsider its position to prioritise the security of the Congolese population and that of the SAMIDRC elements present in the liberated areas.”
The group’s latest posture underscores growing tensions as international and regional forces become further enmeshed in DR Congo’s volatile eastern conflict.
Analysts say the situation risks derailing fragile diplomatic efforts, particularly as the rebels reaffirm what they call an “unwavering commitment to protect and defend the civilian population, in all its diversity, whatever the cost.”
Goma, a flashpoint of repeated clashes over the past year, remains under M23 control, despite efforts by Kinshasa and its allies to dislodge the group.
The SADC-backed military push appears, for now, to have failed, deepening questions around the force’s mandate and the prospects for a negotiated end to the conflict.