DRC: M23 rebels finally confirm death of spox Ngoma

2026-03-01 - 12:08

March 23 Movement/Alliance River Congo rebels have finally admitted that their military spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Willy Ngoma was killed in a drone strike by the Armed Forces of Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC). The Tuesday (February 24, 2026) 3.00 am strike in the coltan-mining town of Rubaya, Masisi territory, North Kivu province targeted a residential house at Kasuku Farm where he was staying. Wazalendo (Patriots), a coalition of FARDC, released a statement claiming responsibility, saying that Ngoma was killed alongside other M23/AFC rebel officials like cort chiefs of the rebellion’s governor for North Kivu province, Bahati Musanga Erasto, and Colonel Olivier Imani Nzenze while General Sultan Emmanuel Makenga fled to the Catholic parish of Mater Dei in Matanda. Wazalendo’s spokesperson Jules Mulumba later claimed that Ngoma’s remains were collected and secretly buried in Rutshuru territory. Since the incident happened, M23/AFC remained mute about the matter until today, Sunday, when their political spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka released a statement dated February 28/2026, confirming that the drone strikes killed Ngoma. Kanyuka accuses the FARDC and coalition of deliberately violating the ceasefire and imposing a full-scale war deliberately targeting AFC/M23, soldiers and civilian populations through drone strikes carried out far from the front lines. Kanyuka says even after the killing of Ngoma on February 24, drone strikes continue to take the lives of many innocent compatriots. Kanyuka says the crimes by FARDC and coalition will neither go unnoticed nor unpunished while the memory of the victims binds and engages M23/AFC collective responsibility. Kanyuka says that for several weeks, AFC/M23 has consistently denounced and alerted partners involved in the peace process about repeated ceasefire violations, as well as the massacres of civilians perpetrated by the Kinshasa regime in many densely populated areas of North and South Kivu. On Sunday at 10:16 am EAT, Kanyuka released another statement accusing FARDC and coalition of launching attacks in Kalingi Kakenke and its surroundings using Kamikaze drones. Kanyuka also claims that on Saturday evening at around 06:30 pm, FARDC set fire to the village of Kalongi in Minembwe using drones. Kanyuka says their forces remain fully mobilized and ready to defend and protect civilian populations, victims of a war imposed by the illegitimate Kinshasa regime, which has chosen terror over peace. FARDC and coalition have not yet released a statement about the latest cases of fighting. The humanitarian situation is worrying in areas affected by hostilities with civilians fleeing their homes. On February 28, Didier Bashizi, spokesperson of South Kivu province, released a statement accusing M23/AFC rebels of being behind two mass graves that were discovered in Kavinvira and Kilomoni neighbourhoods of Uvira containing the bodies of 151 people on February 27. The renewed fighting raises questions about the future of ongoing peace talks reportedly taking place in Doha, Qatar, and whether they will yield positive results amid such escalating hostilities. Since its resurgence in 2022 under leaders Bertrand Bisimwa and Emmanuel Sultan Makenga, M23/AFC has repeatedly exchanged accusations with the Congolese government over ceasefire violations. The government has consistently accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels, allegations denied by both Kigali and the group. M23 says its objective is to fight corruption, xenophobia, and discrimination within the Democratic Republic of Congo’s political leadership. In early 2025, the group launched a rapid offensive across eastern Congo, capturing several key towns and heightening fears of a broader regional conflict.