ADF attack on Ngohi leaves 13 civilians dead

 The death toll from the ADF rebel attack in Ngohi, in the Lubero territory of North Kivu, has risen from 11 to 13 civilians, including four women. These people were killed on the night of Sunday to Monday, March 10, during a new attack attributed to the ADF rebels in Ngohi, a village located about 40 kilometers from the city of Butembo.

According to local civil society, all the victims were killed with knives. These 13 civilians, according to witnesses, were all farmers. Vuhinga civil society reports that the victims, surprised in their fields by the attackers, were brutally killed.

The death toll remains provisional, as the fate of other missing persons remains unknown, indicates the same source. This attack, which targeted farmers, also caused the displacement of many civilians to areas considered more secure.

Local sources report that the worst was avoided thanks to the intervention of FARDC soldiers, positioned in the villages of Muhangi and Makoko, not far from the scene of the tragedy. Civil society actors in Vuhinga recommend that the military authorities organize joint FARDC-UPDF operations to track down these rebels who continue to sow terror in the region.

The army is currently pursuing the attackers, who have headed towards the southern part of the village of Ngohi.

FARDC claims capturing another Rwandan soldier in Bikenge!

Will Rwanda deny again?

Rwanda   will once again deny its armed element as usual. According to the press of the operational sector SOKOLA I, this Rwandan soldier (RDF) captured by the FARDC.

This death merchant, called Dieu-Donné, is a 25-year-old Rwandan soldier (RDF). He fell into the net of the FARDC in Bikenge, in the territory of Walikale.

According to the same source, he began his training in 2014, he crossed into Goma on February 22 by the small barrier, accompanied by 30 other RDF soldiers. He is the only survivor of his group after violent fighting.

Report on the clashes on the front lines this Monday 10/March/2025

 

Provisional report!

1) In Minembwe in the strikes of SOKHOI25 and the CH-4 drone:

-More than 30 elements of the TWIRWANEHO-RED TABARA-M23 coalition were neutralized.

-More than 50 elements were injured.

-The armament (weapons and ammunition) that were unloaded at the airfield were destroyed.

2)KAZIBA:

The procession of the M23 army heading towards Kaziba to bypass the Mitumba ranges, fell into an ambush.

Really there was a great loss on the enemy lines.

U.S. Military Engagement with DRC: A Shift in Regional Power which Congolese believe That it Gives Kagame Sleepless Nights

 

In a major geopolitical shift, a high-level U.S. military delegation recently met with DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, reinforcing military and economic ties between the United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This development has reportedly left Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his long-time allies deeply unsettled, as it threatens the illicit networks they have used to plunder Congo’s minerals for decades.

Strengthening U.S.-DRC Military Ties

The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) delegation, led by Ambassador Andrew Young and Rear Admiral Heidi Berg, met with top Congolese officials to discuss regional security and military cooperation. This visit is a significant step forward in strengthening the Congolese military and addressing security concerns, particularly in Eastern Congo, where Kagame's regime has been linked to armed rebel groups that destabilize the region.

The military cooperation focuses on:

✔ Strengthening the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) to counter rebel movements.

✔ Enhancing security and intelligence sharing between the U.S. and DRC.

✔ Promoting human rights and reducing foreign exploitation of DRC’s resources.

This has rattled Kigali, as Kagame’s survival has long depended on the chaos in Eastern Congo, which allows his network of elites and Western allies to exploit DRC’s vast mineral wealth unchecked.

The Fight for Congo’s Mineral Wealth

Beyond military cooperation, the U.S. has expressed interest in securing critical mineral partnerships with the DRC. The Congo is home to massive reserves  cobalt, lithium, and other strategic minerals, which are vital for modern technology, electric vehicles, and defense industries.

✔ The U.S. is actively looking to reduce reliance on China and secure direct partnerships with the DRC.

✔ This threatens the long-standing mineral theft networks led by Kagame’s regime, which has illegally benefited from smuggled Congolese resources for years.

✔ With a potential new U.S.-DRC partnership, Kagame and his allies fear losing access to the billions they’ve made off Congo’s suffering.

A State Department spokesperson recently confirmed that the U.S. is open to fair and transparent mineral deals with the DRC, signaling a new era of economic diplomacy that excludes those who have profited from conflict-driven smuggling networks.

Why do Congolese think that This Gives Kagame Sleepless Nights

According to studies from Congolese political arenas give the following reasons for this belief:

Kagame’s entire regional influence has been built on:

Backing rebel groups like M23 to maintain instability in Eastern Congo.

Exploiting stolen Congolese minerals by funneling them through Rwanda as "legitimate exports."

Relying on Western support (particularly from past Democratic administrations) to shield him from accountability.

This new U.S.-DRC relationship under Tshisekedi’s leadership could break Kagame’s grip on Congo’s resources and expose his long-standing exploitation network. With Trump’s influence behind these negotiations, there is a real possibility that U.S. policy in the region could shift away from Kagame’s regime, disrupting his financial and military backing.

The Road to True Peace

While these developments are promising, true peace in the Great Lakes region remains impossible as long as:

Paul Kagame remains in power in Rwanda, continuing his destabilizing tactics.

The Hutu majority in Rwanda is sidelined, preventing true reconciliation and stability.

For Tshisekedi to secure lasting peace in Congo, he must push for regime change in Rwanda, ensuring a government that represents the majority Hutu population, which has historically maintained peaceful relations with its neighbors. Without a change in power in Kigali, Rwanda will continue to be the epicenter of regional instability.

A Defining Moment for the Region

With the U.S. military and economic interests shifting toward the DRC, the balance of power in the region is changing. Kagame and his allies no longer have a blank check to operate freely. If these new partnerships lead to tighter security, economic transparency, and a crackdown on illicit mineral smuggling, it could reshape the future of Central Africa—but only if Tshisekedi seizes this moment to push for real change.

The question remains: Will Tshisekedi take bold steps to secure Congo’s future, or will Kagame’s influence continue to sabotage peace?

The impact of M23 appointed administration in South Kivu

 The AFC/M23 political-military movement Friday, February 28, 2025, Manou Birato governor of South Kivu. An influential businessman and former political executive, he thus becomes a key figure in the administration set up by the rebellion.

A political journey marked by alliances and ruptures

Originally from Birava, Kabare territory, Manou Birato distinguished himself in the Congolese political landscape by evolving within several major formations. Former senior executive of the People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), he was a long-time supporter of the regime, hosting the party's major political meetings in his hotel in Bukavu.

When the Union for the Congolese Nation (UNC) was created, he joined Vital Kamerhe, current president of the National Assembly, before leaving in 2019 to go into exile in Belgium. His return to the country today coincides with his taking office under the authority of the AFC/M23.

An administration under the control of the rebellion

Alongside Manou Birato, a new administrative team is being set up:

Dunia Masumbuko Bwenge (from Bunyakiri, Kalehe territory) holds the position of vice-governor in charge of political and administrative matters.

Gashinge Gashingira Juvénal (from Munyamulenge, Fizi territory) becomes second vice-governor, in charge of economic, financial and development issues.

Meanwhile, the province's legal authorities, fleeing after the rebel advance, continue to administer South Kivu from Uvira.

Goma and Bukavu under tension

The AFC/M23 rebellion continues to establish itself in the east of the country. In Goma, it has already set up a parallel provincial administration, while the military government of the state of siege operates from Beni, following the flight of official authorities.

This appointment of Manou Birato marks a new stage in the rebellion's grip on South Kivu, accentuating security and political tensions in the region.

M23 appoints new administrators in south

 Manu Birato is appointed Governor of the South Kivu province

The #M23_ARC/ M23 afcongo appoints new administrative authorities to SudkivuGouv.

- Birato Rwihimba Emmanuel, governor (ex pprdofficiel )

- Dunia Masumbuko Bwenge, political, administrative and legal vice-governor

- Gishinge Gasinzira Juvénal, ecofin & devpt vice-governor

Rwandan ambassador ,Dr DIANNE GASHUMBA summoned over the DRC/M23 issue.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has today, Thursday 27 February, summoned the Rwandan Ambassador in Stockholm.

The purpose of the summoning is to take a clear stance – like the EU and several other European countries – against the Rwandan Defence Force’s and the armed group M23’s continued offensive in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The offensive is a violation of international law and the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Sweden and the EU have repeatedly urged Rwanda to stop supporting M23 and withdraw its troops. Sweden has also urged Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to resume regionally led peace talks.