Who are the M23 Rebels in eastern DRC?

August 18, 2026

The March 23 Movement (M23), a rebel group operating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, originated from a failed 2009 peace agreement between the government and former Tutsi militia fighters who had integrated into the national army. After the DRC authorities failed to honor the agreement's terms regarding prisoner releases, improved conditions for Tutsi communities, and government positions, former rebels revolted in 2012 and formed M23, marking the original agreement date. Although defeated by Congolese forces in 2013, the group resurged in 2022 with alleged Rwandan support, citing continued non-implementation of the peace accord.

Who is affected

Local communities in eastern DRC (experiencing violence, sexual assault, and terror)
Tutsi ethnic communities in the Kivu region
Internally displaced persons (over 7 million as of early 2025; 5.5 million in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri provinces as of November 2023)
Voters in North Kivu province (the province with the second-largest voter count)
The DR Congolese government and Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC)
Neighboring countries: Rwanda, Uganda, Congo-Brazzaville, Central African Republic, and South Sudan (facing potential spillover effects)
UN peacekeepers operating in the region
Lendu and Hema ethnic groups in Ituri Province

What action is being taken

M23 rebels are imposing authority through violence, sexual assault, and terror on local communities
M23 is gaining territory and expanding influence in North Kivu
The Kinshasa government is seeking to regain and secure territories
Multiple rebel groups (M23, ADF, CODECO, and FNL) are operating in the eastern region
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is monitoring and reporting on displacement
Regional entities (Central Africa and the Southern African Development Community) are raising alarm about the situation

Why it matters

This conflict represents a major security crisis with far-reaching humanitarian and geopolitical implications. The failure to implement the 2009 peace agreement has resulted in renewed violence that has displaced millions of people and created one of the world's largest humanitarian crises. The conflict threatens regional stability beyond DRC's borders, with experts warning that destabilization could impact multiple neighboring countries including Congo-Brazzaville, Central African Republic, and South Sudan. The presence of multiple armed groups, including an Islamic State-affiliated organization, compounds the security challenge. Additionally, the conflict severely disrupted democratic processes, making voter enrollment extremely difficult in eastern regions during the 2023 general elections and creating ongoing governance challenges for the Kinshasa government, which has been unable to find a solution to the rebellion despite repeated attempts.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Global Voices