Congolese army appeals to captured troops to uphold duty, loyalty
The army and its archrival -the M23 have both been reinforcing military positions and blaming each other for flouting peace accords in the latest escalation of violence in Eastern DRC.
The Congolese army, Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo (FARDC), has urged its captured soldiers to remain loyal to their oath amid the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC.
In a statement, FARDC stated that soldiers who have been 'arrested, captured, or held against their will must remain loyal to the DRC despite their captivity'.
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FARDC stressed that 'no prison, chains, or brainwashing can erase the oath they swore to the Republic'. It reminded the soldiers that they were 'trained to serve the Republic and defend the homeland, even to the point of ultimate sacrifice'.
"This training, this honour, and this duty still live within you. Even if you are forced to participate in enemy propaganda or coerced into speaking against your country, remember who you are: defenders of the Congolese people and the national flag," FARDC stated.
The army assured the captured soldiers that they have not been abandoned and urged them to rejoin the FARDC ranks once freed.
"The Republic has not abandoned you. FARDC calls on you to resist the enemy's pressure, to keep faith with your brothers in arms, and to return to the government and the ranks of the FARDC when the opportunity arises. The enemy may try to use you for their lies, but they will never possess your loyalty. Stand firm in spirit. Stand tall for the homeland. Homeland or death. FARDC will prevail," it added.
FARDC and its archrival, the M23, have both been reinforcing military positions and blaming each other for flouting peace accords in the latest escalation of violence in Eastern DRC.
The two factions signed a deal on June 27, 2025, agreeing to resolve their dispute peacefully. They recognised that a negotiated political solution was preferable to military action.
At the beginning of this month, they again agreed to immediately and unconditionally cease any state support to non-state armed groups except as necessary to facilitate implementation of the peace agreement.
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