The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) have strongly responded to statements made by leaders of the politico-military movement AFC/M23 regarding the security situation in eastern DRC and allegations of persecution against the Banyamulenge (Tutsi) community. These allegations were raised during a press conference held last week in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.
In a statement issued Monday, June 22, 2026, signed by Lieutenant Colonel Mak Hazukay Mongba, interim spokesperson for the FARDC, the Congolese army accuses the rebel movement of conducting a “propaganda and disinformation campaign” aimed at discrediting state institutions and diverting attention from the coalition’s responsibility in the war of aggression against the DRC, as well as from the serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights regularly attributed to it.
According to the FARDC, allegations of massacres, exterminations, or persecutions directed against specific Congolese communities are “completely unfounded.” The army believes these accusations are intended to mask the responsibilities of the AFC/M23 coalition in the conflict that has been shaking eastern DRC.
“The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo categorically reject allegations of alleged massacres, exterminations, or persecutions directed against any Congolese community. These allegations are entirely baseless. They come at a time when numerous United Nations reports and international human rights organizations have documented serious violations attributed to the RDF-AFC/M23 coalition, including summary executions, civilian assassinations, abductions, forced recruitment, sexual violence, forced displacement of populations, and other grave breaches of international humanitarian law,” the statement read.
The FARDC considers these “false” and “cynical” accusations as an attempt to distort reality and shield the coalition from accountability. They also vigorously denounce what they describe as an effort by the RDF-AFC/M23 coalition to manipulate community identities and linguistic affiliations in order to sow division among Congolese citizens.
According to the Congolese army, this campaign specifically aims to artificially pit populations in eastern DRC against their compatriots in other provinces, weakening national unity and serving the coalition’s political and military objectives.
“This campaign is particularly intended to artificially oppose Congolese populations living in the east of the country to their compatriots from other provinces, with the goal of undermining national cohesion and advancing the political and military aims of this coalition. The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo remind that they are a national, republican, and inclusive army, composed of Congolese women and men from all provinces,” the FARDC stated.
Furthermore, the FARDC recall that the primary victims of the war of aggression waged by the RDF-AFC/M23 coalition remain the Congolese populations living in eastern provinces. For years, these communities have endured the direct consequences of insecurity, forced displacement, abuses, and human rights violations linked to the activities of this coalition and its allies, the army notes.
According to the FARDC, the suffering they experience cannot be exploited for a disinformation campaign or to turn them against their fellow citizens from other regions. The army emphasizes that it is precisely to ensure their protection, guarantee their safety, and preserve national territorial integrity that it continues its operations in line with its constitutional mission.
“The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo warn against any propaganda, disinformation, or hate speech campaign that could jeopardize national cohesion, the security of populations, and efforts to restore peace in areas affected by the aggression,” the document stated.
It added:
“The FARDC remain fully committed to fulfilling their constitutional mission of defending territorial integrity, protecting populations, and neutralizing any hostile force threatening national sovereignty. They will not be distracted by disinformation campaigns or manipulation attempts aimed at weakening the national resolve in the face of aggression.”
This latest statement from the FARDC comes amid ongoing tensions between Kinshasa and the AFC/M23, as well as continued hostilities in eastern DRC. On June 18, during a press conference in Goma, movement leaders accused the Congolese government of repeatedly violating the ceasefire and denounced a worrying humanitarian situation in several localities in the Hauts-Plateaux region of South Kivu province.
AFC/M23 coordinator Corneille Nangaa specifically blamed the situation on President Félix Tshisekedi’s administration. According to him, military operations in the area are aimed at exterminating the Banyamulenge community through the use of armed drones and reflect an intention to challenge their belonging to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
