What to know about the M23 and what is happening in eastern DRC

On Tuesday, 26 January 2025, M23 rebels marched into the city of Goma in eastern DRC. The insecurity has put eastern DRC on the world stage. This information is intended to give you a better understanding of ‘who’, ‘why’ and what does this mean for the region and the church.

Who are they?
M23, March 23 Movement, is one of hundreds of armed groups active in eastern DRC. The group takes its name from a peace agreement signed on 23 March 2009, but it officially formed in 2012. It is led by ethnic Tutsis and former members of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), a rebel group.

The M23 rapidly gained territory after its formation in 2012 and seized Goma for the first time. Their actions were met with harsh international criticism and accusations of war crimes and human rights violations.

M23 was forced to withdraw from Goma and then suffered a series of heavy defeats at the hands of the Congolese army backed by a multinational force that saw it expelled from the country. The rebel group then agreed to be integrated into the army in return for promises that Tutsis would be protected.

However, in 2021, the group took up arms again, saying the promises had been broken.

Their link to Rwanda
It is widely recognised that M23 is backed by the Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) in support of Rwandan interests in the DRC.

Reports from Al-Jazeera and other sources highlight allegations of Rwanda’s support for the M23 rebel group, which has been active in the region. This support includes providing weapons and strategic assistance, further complicating peace efforts and contributing to the displacement of thousands of civilians. (DRC Country Dossier 2025)

“The M23 group has always served as a vehicle to protect Rwandan interests in eastern Congo,” said Kristof Titeca, conflict researcher for Central and East Africa at the University of Antwerp. He told DW that Rwanda has political, security and economic interests in the DRC.

“Rwanda sees the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda) as a major threat to its security,” Titeca said. “The Congolese army is collaborating with the FDLR, which angers Kigali.”

In addition to the estimated 6,000 M23 troops, approximately 4,000 Rwandan forces are currently in the DRC. There is also evidence from UN investigations that M23 is receiving support from Uganda.

What is their agenda?
According to The Guardian, the rebel group’s objective is to safeguard the interests of the Congolese Tutsi and other minorities, including protecting them against Hutu rebel groups who escaped to the DRC after taking part in the 1994 genocide that targeted Tutsis.

Their agenda is complex. They wish to expand their area of control and this is evident in the large areas they have already succeeded to take control of in North Kivu. They wish to protect their Tutsi identity, and Goma is specifically a strategic city. It’s rich in minerals, the capital of the province and close and shares a border with Rwanda to the east.

The Africa Centre for Strategic Studies suggests “that the rebel group and their regional backers have longer-term objectives in holding and potentially expanding their territorial control”.

According to the BBC, “Corneille Nangaa, who heads an alliance of rebel groups that includes the M23, said their ultimate aim was to topple President Félix Tshisekedi’s government.

Their stance towards Christians
M23 is one of hundreds of rebel groups in eastern DRC that show disregard for civilian lives. They, along with other groups, are creating an environment of lawlessness; they are illegally smuggling mining produce, and they are merciless to those who oppose them. Christians in DRC who speak out against this practice experience severe reprisals. (DRC Country Dossier 2025)

In February 2024, M23 rebels found 14 Christian men working their farmland in North Kivu. The rebels demanded the men join their ranks, and when they refused, the rebels killed them.

What does this mean for the region?
Thousands of civilians have been displaced, many of whom were already in a precarious situation given the ongoing insecurity. The UN warns that a humanitarian crisis is developing.

The situation also has the potential to destabilise the region and sour relations within the wider SSA region. The conflict is widely believed to be driven by Rwanda and Uganda. Additionally, South Africa has also sent troops to support the DRC, in which 14 of its soldiers were killed in fighting with M23 in Goma. SA’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent a stern warning to Rwanda that shooting at South African troops would be a declaration of war. In turn, Rwanda’s President, Paul Kagame, has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa and government officials of  “lying” and “distorting” talks between the two statesmen in his statement to South Africans.