M23 rejects foreign support claims, calls for dialogue under Doha peace process
The statement, signed by Lawrence Kanyuka, the group's communication head, pointed out what it sees as the main reasons for the conflict, including “the lack of government authority led by a harmful regime that supports and works with local and foreign armed groups” and “government-backed ethnic cleansing, especially against Congolese Tutsi.”
The M23 rebel movement has dismissed claims it is backed by foreign powers and urged renewed dialogue under the Doha peace process, following a UN Security Council briefing that warned the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo could fracture the state and fuel regional war.
The UN Security Council heard on December 12 that recent fighting in eastern DRC, including expanded rebel control and weakening government authority, “poses a serious risk of the gradual fragmentation of the DRC” and could fuel a regional conflagration, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix told Council members.
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Council members also reiterated calls for the implementation of existing peace accords, an immediate cessation of hostilities, and strengthened protections for civilians.
AFC/M23 STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFING ON THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ON DECEMBER 12, 2025 https://t.co/N44XGOCY6y pic.twitter.com/iLYUAILOS4
— Lawrence KANYUKA (@LawrenceKanyuka) December 13, 2025
In response, the Alliance Fleuve Congo/Mouvement du 23 Mars (AFC/M23) said it welcomes international attention and “joins members of the UN Security Council in support of the mediation of the State of Qatar” under the Doha peace process. The group said its commitment to Doha remains “unwavering”.
The statement, signed by Lawrence Kanyuka, the group's communication head, pointed out what it sees as the main reasons for the conflict, including “the lack of government authority led by a harmful regime that supports and works with local and foreign armed groups” and “government-backed ethnic cleansing, especially against Congolese Tutsi.”
The group also accused the Kinshasa government of “muzzling the opposition, whose most prominent members are either silenced, imprisoned, killed or forced into exile.”
Rejecting suggestions that the group is foreign-backed, M23 said, “Any suggestion seeking to present the AFC/M23 as ‘foreigners’ or as Rwanda’s proxy is a dangerous misrepresentation that legitimises efforts to purge a section of the Congolese population.”
The statement echoed Council concerns about civilian safety, accusing the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) and allies, including the Burundian National Defence Forces and Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), of repeated violations of agreements and coordinated attacks on civilians.
M23 claimed its fighters are defending their rights, “including being recognised as Congolese citizens, repatriation of refugees and protection against extermination by genocidal forces”, framing their continued armed action as a legitimate right in the face of what they described as government aggression.
The group called on the Council to urge Kinshasa to implement its commitments under the Doha Process and insisted that “only sincere dialogue and strict respect for the agreements signed by the Kinshasa government can address the root causes of the conflict.”
At the Security Council briefing, diplomats highlighted related issues. Greece’s representative backed full implementation of Resolution 2773 and expressed “deep concerns about the grave human rights violations and abuses committed, including against women and children,” while urging all parties to allow the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO to operate freely.
Denmark’s delegate warned of “mass casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure” and called for an immediate ceasefire, urging both M23 and associated forces to halt offensive operations.
The conflict has surged even as international diplomacy attempts to bridge divides. Earlier this month, the DRC and Rwanda signed a peace accord in Washington, and a separate Doha Framework agreement was signed with the M23 in November, but fighting has continued despite those pledges, diplomats told the Council.
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