Former DRC President Joseph Kabila Forms New Alliance with M23 Group

The former President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila, has announced a new political and military alliance uniting armed groups fighting the government of that country, a move that raises concerns that the conflict in the eastern part of the country may intensify.

Kabila announced the new alliance called Front pour la Refondation de la Nation (FRN) in the city of Goma on Monday, which aims to replace the previous alliance of M23 and the Alliance of the Congo River (AFC).

Kabila stated that he will lead this alliance, while officials from the AFC and M23 have been appointed to other leadership positions.

The spokesperson for the new alliance, Claude Ibalanky, stated that the new movement aims to end what he described as dictatorship, while not ruling out the use of force.

This statement has further heightened concerns that the conflict between the Kinshasa government and armed groups may take on a new face.

This announcement comes as the Congolese government has long accused Kabila of having ties to the M23 rebel group and the AFC alliance.

In October of last year, a military court in Kinshasa sentenced Kabila to death, accusing him of treason, war crimes, and collaborating with armed groups.

Kabila, who led the Congo from 2001 to 2019, also faced sanctions from the United States in April of this year, which accused him of funding rebel groups.

The eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo has long been plagued by armed conflicts rooted in political disputes, land, ethnicities, and natural resources.

The M23 rebel group has regained strength in 2022, engaging in heavy battles with government forces and seizing large territories in the North and South Kivu regions, including the cities of Goma and Bukavu.

The United Nations has reported that the conflicts in the country have caused the displacement of more than 7.8 million people, while nearly 28 million people are facing food shortages.

The United States and the United Nations have accused Rwanda of supporting M23, but the Kigali government has denied these allegations.

, on the other hand, Kabila's actions have raised concerns about the future of peace talks aimed at ending the conflict.