M23 rebels, active in eastern DR Congo, have allegedly set up a parallel administration with support from Uganda, according to UN experts. The escalating crisis risks triggering a wider regional conflict.
Although often seen as a Rwandan proxy force, the UN report suggests Uganda’s involvement too. Both Uganda and Rwanda have denied these claims, with Rwanda criticizing the DR Congo government for its handling of the mineral-rich east, plagued by unrest for decades.
UN experts report that Rwandan troops might be matching or surpassing the estimated 3,000 M23 fighters in DR Congo.
Rwanda has long opposed the presence of FDLR, ethnic Hutu rebels linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Despite joint operations, the FDLR remains active. M23, led by Tutsis, first emerged in 2012 but was defeated the next year, only to rearm three years ago and now control significant territory in North Kivu province.
The 293-page UN report highlights Burundi’s military involvement alongside the Congolese army against M23 and Rwandan soldiers, raising regional tensions. DR Congo’s Foreign Minister, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, expressed concern over alleged collusion between Uganda, M23, and the Rwandan military, promising to address the issue with Uganda.
The report accuses Uganda of allowing M23 supplies and recruits through its territory, with military intelligence officers coordinating with M23 leaders. Uganda’s deputy military spokesman denied these allegations, calling them false.
Additionally, the report suggests Uganda supports the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), a political arm of M23, aiming to legitimize the group while reducing Rwanda’s role in the crisis.
The report also documents advanced military technology and equipment used by M23 and Rwandan forces, allegedly altering conflict dynamics and grounding Congolese military air assets.
Rwanda accused Congolese President Félix Tshisikedi of threatening war, while a regional force from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been deployed to assist DR Congo’s military.