By Our Reporter
A show of force by the M23 rebel group over the weekend has heightened fears about the fate of a planned peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, the group’s alleged backer.
In Goma, the mineral-rich eastern city under rebel control, M23 paraded more than 7,000 new recruits — a move that analysts say could undermine confidence in the fragile ceasefire.
The rebels, who launched a series of blitz attacks earlier this year to seize key cities including Goma and Bukavu, claim that the recruits include Congolese soldiers who surrendered during fighting and local militias who switched sides.
But rights groups have sounded the alarm.
“We remain concerned about forced recruitment, which we have documented since M23’s takeover of North and South Kivu,” said Christian Rumu, senior campaigner at Amnesty International. “Those concerns were again highlighted in the recent report by the UN Human Rights Council’s fact-finding mission.”
The parade comes as mediation efforts led by Qatar push for a deal expected to be signed in Washington in the coming weeks. A central pillar of the agreement is Rwanda’s withdrawal of support for M23 and the return of captured territories to Congolese authorities.
However, sporadic clashes between M23 and pro-government militias have continued despite repeated commitments from both sides to respect the ceasefire.
For many residents of Goma, the weekend’s display of military might was a discouraging signal.
“This could derail the peace process that Congo, Rwanda, and M23 are pursuing through the Doha and Washington talks,” Rumu warned.
The conflict has exacted a devastating toll, leaving at least 3,000 dead and displacing millions. A recent UN report accused both Congo’s army and M23 rebels of committing “horrific atrocities” over the past year, including gang rape, sexual slavery, torture, and killings of civilians. The report added that both Kinshasa and Kigali share responsibility for the violence.
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