New clashes between M23 and Wazalendo in Luke.

Since the early hours of Monday, violent clashes have been taking place between AFC/M23 rebels and Wazalendo fighters in Masisi territory, North Kivu, causing panic and the flight of residents.

According to local sources, hostilities erupted around 5:00 a.m. in Luke, where heavy and light weapons fire is still being heard. The AFC/M23 rebels have reportedly launched an offensive aimed at dislodging the Wazalendo from their positions in order to extend their control over the area.

This new escalation comes barely a month after the return of residents of Luke, recently recaptured by the Wazalendo. Faced with the resumption of fighting, several families have fled to the bush, fearing for their safety.

The situation remains extremely tense and uncertain. The local population is calling for rapid intervention to ensure their protection and restore peace.

Furthermore, despite the resumption of negotiations in Doha between representatives of the AFC/M23 and the Congolese government, both sides continue to reinforce their positions with troops and equipment on the front lines in North and South Kivu.

How and Why Gen. Byamungu and Lt. Col Willy Ngoma, M23 Officers, Were Once Detained by Gen Makenga

The Commander-in-Chief of the AFC/M23 Army, Major General Sultani Makenga, has recently detained some of his senior officers for various crimes they committed in areas under his control.

These crimes include looting and illegal trade, mainly in precious minerals.

Those sentenced to short prison terms include well-known M23 soldiers, as well as Makenga's brother.

Among those sentenced by Gen. Sultani Makenga is the former M23 Army commander in Goma, Col. Jimmy Nzamuye, who has recently been released. Before his arrest and detention in Tchanzu, he was suspected of using his position to amass wealth.

After his release, Gen. Makenga immediately removed him from command of the army in Goma and made him responsible for planning operations in the second military region operating in Masisi.

My intelligence Sources also say that last September, Brigadier General Bernard Maheshe Byamungu, who is currently the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the M23 Army in charge of operations and intelligence, also spent a week in detention. The decision to detain him was reportedly taken by the M23 Disciplinary Commission.

Byamungu was allegedly being investigated for the seizure and sale of seven villas that once belonged to the DRC government.

Sources deep inside the M23 core military administration  also say that Gen. Makenga continues to closely monitor the land disputes Byamungu is implicated in, while also closely following the case of Basile Bashigwa, the head of intelligence in the city of Goma, who is said to lead a gang of thieves who steal cars in the cities of Goma and Bukavu and allegedly sell them in Uganda.

Another of those who have been in prison for some time, is Ibrahim Makenga, who is also the brother of Gen. Sultani Emmanuel Makenga.This man, who is currently the Deputy Director of the Directorate of Security and Intelligence (DSR) in South Kivu province, was reportedly imprisoned for crimes including corruption and embezzlement.

After his release, he reportedly returned to his duties, unlike Manzi Musonerwa, who was his boss who was arrested and imprisoned on charges of dealing in stolen cars.Manzi, who is the brother-in-law of the North Kivu provincial government, Bahati Musanga Erasto, was immediately sent to command Masisi after his release.

Those involved in the gold trade were also imprisoned

Among the AFC M23 senior soldiers who were imprisoned were those who were allegedly involved in the trade of precious stones, shortly after M23 had taken over the city of Bukavu.

Many of these stones are said to have been looted in the first major city in South Kivu province.

These include the AFC/M23 military spokesman, Lt. Col Willy Ngoma, who was detained for three weeks at the end of July this year on the orders of Gen. Makenga. He was allegedly involved in the illegal trade of gold that was allegedly looted in Bukavu.

Colonel Julien Mahano Barutuje, who is currently the deputy director of M23 intelligence, is said to have been investigated for corruption and dealing in gold with Chinese investors. Although he was able to remain in his position, he was eventually transferred and sent to work in Masisi.

Meanwhile, an officer named François Kazarama is said to be still in prison in Tchanzu for killing a person who lived in his house in the city of Bukavu.

Gen. Makenga continues to be a source of frustration for his aides, while he is often heard criticizing the corruption, theft and embezzlement of funds carried out by the DRC government; some of the reasons he cites as making him choose to take up arms and fight it..

Gen Makenga proves to be a no nonsense leader as WILLY NGOMA AND IBRAHIM MAKENGA, SULTANI'S YOUNGER BROTHER, BRIEFLY ARRESTED FOR GOLD TRAFFICKING AND CORRUPTION

 

On October 1, 2025, several members of the M23 movement were briefly arrested on charges of corruption and gold trafficking. Among them, Willy Ngoma, the group's military spokesperson, was imprisoned for nearly three weeks in late July for his alleged involvement in gold trafficking. Ibrahim Makenga, Sultani Makenga's younger brother, was also detained for several days in early July on suspicion of corruption, before being released and reinstated.

In an effort to strengthen discipline, General Sultani Makenga, the M23's military leader, disciplined certain officers involved in looting and embezzlement in areas controlled by the movement. Several senior officers, including the leader's brother, received short prison sentences. These measures are intended to project an image of integrity, despite accusations of widespread abuse and looting. The crackdown comes as the M23 consolidates its control over vast territories in eastern DRC, rich in precious minerals. According to UN reports, the group has illegally seized and trafficked large quantities of minerals such as tin, tantalum, and tungsten since the capture of Goma.

Other key members are also under investigation or in detention: François Kazarama, still in prison in Tchanzu for the murder of a Congolese citizen; Manzi Musonerwa, head of the DSR in Bukavu, arrested and demoted for alleged trafficking in stolen cars; and Jimmy Nzamuye, former commander in Goma, dismissed from his duties after an arrest for abuse of position.

The M23 movement is attempting to project an image of discipline while being accused of abuse and corruption.

Rwanda and DRC meet in Washington to discuss peace and the fate of FDLR

 

The respective representatives of the DRC and

Rwanda, meeting within the Joint Security Coordination Mechanism (the body responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Washington Agreement), recognized on this first occasion the importance of access by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to all prisoners to be exchanged between Kinshasa and the AFC/M23 as part of the Doha process.

The DRC and Rwanda committed to facilitating this access.

This committee affirmed the need to support the full implementation of the peace agreement in words and deeds, and the members reaffirmed their commitment to refrain from any hostile actions or rhetoric, particularly political attacks or language likely to undermine or complicate the full implementation of the peace agreement.

In Washington, before representatives of Presidents Félix Antoine Tshisekedi of Congo and Paul Kagame of Rwanda, the State of Qatar provided an update on the ongoing negotiations in Doha between the DRC and the AFC/M23.

On this occasion, it was announced that direct talks between the Congolese government and the AFC/M23 would resume during the week of October 6 in Doha.

The representatives of both countries expressed their support for these efforts and stressed the importance of advancing the Doha process as essential for the broader implementation of the Washington Peace Agreement.

Meeting in Washington on October 1, representatives of the DRC and Rwanda confirmed that October 1 would be maintained as the start date for the operational order to neutralize the FDLR and their proxies and the disengagement/lifting of Rwanda's defensive measures.

These representatives from Kinshasa and Kigali discussed the rising tensions in Uvira and Walikale, calling on all stakeholders to exercise calm and restraint.

ADF threatens Ugandans in a new video clip

..let us all fight terrorism...

"In their latest video released on Telegram by the Islamic State, ADF/ISCAP has threatened to continue killing Christians, specifically those from Uganda, if the regime of Yoweri Kaguta Museveni continues its attacks against ADF/ISCAP. "As long as your aggression against Muslims continues, you will continue to be sent to hell." The video presented a series of addresses delivered by ISCAP agents. The short clips, which were interspersed with violent and graphic images of ISCAP's attacks, were addressed to Christians, Muslims, and international media outlets, including MEMRI, a center specializing in questions on violent extremism.

For example, an ISCAP fighter brandishing a knife and speaking in Luganda (a language predominantly spoken in Uganda) threatens Christians in the video, saying: "Our message to Kafirs in general and those from Uganda in particular, is that you have seen the strength of the mujahideen (fighters of Allah) following your tyranny against Muslims and your invasion of their land (they make reference to the military operations Shujaa that the Ugandan army is conducting against ADF in DRC under the blessing of Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni), and you have learned that it is our sole language with you and with those like you [...] What has happened to you in your own country and in the capital of your polytheism, Kampala", he asked, making reference to a suicide attack against the Ugandan capital. "As long as your aggression against Muslims continues, your punishment will continue and you will be sent to hell, with Allah's permission", warned this ADF/ISCAP member in the video shared on our tiktok profile."

Watch the videos!

The telegram channel that shared was deleted!

"Several internet users wrote to me indicating that they were unable to download the 18-minute, 8-second video published on Telegram by the Islamic State showing the activities and claims of ADF/ISCAP fighters in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I would like to inform you that the Telegram channel that published the video was deleted the next day. Therefore, the video is no longer available via the link that was shared today. However, some media outlets were able to preserve some less shocking extracts from the video with atrocious scenes. I propose to share textual and visual passages from these extracts with you tonight.

■ ISCAP addressed the media: "We are the Islamic State in Central Africa (#ISCAP), not the Allied Democratic Forces (#ADF): An ISCAP agent (identified by researchers on ADF/MTM/ISCAP activities as Kenyan #Ghuraba, others say it's Mahmoud Ahmad Jundi alias #Abwakasi [it's difficult to be certain about his true identity since his face is veiled]), speaking in English, indicated that the group no longer considers itself as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). "It's funny how the Kuffar media call us the Allied Democratic Forces, #ADF - and they forget that the only movement fighting democracy, and the entire Western system is the Islamic State", he said. Another agent added: "We are the soldiers fighting under the flag of the Islamic State and the Caliphate, and the Islamic State fights in the prophetic methodology, in the manner of the Prophet"."

For the first time in three years ADF show cases a video of their attrocities and allegiance to Islamic State.

 

The Islamic State today had  announced the release of a new ADF/ISCAP video. It's been over three years since the Islamic State has released an exclusive video about this movement, which is responsible for the killings of civilians in North Kivu and Ituri.

The video and it's description.

"In a video of 18 minutes and 8 seconds published today by the Islamic State, showing the activities and claims of ADF/ISCAP fighters in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one sees these last ones in the process of brutally killing civilians with firearms, white arms, and attacking villages, as well as positions of the Congolese army. In other images, these rebels show humans being slaughtered and other shocking scenes where they execute with real bullets tied-up hostages. In other videos, they show the faces of their hostages, including young children, whom they claim to be converting to their ideology. However, the ADF/ISCAP fighters are visible with faces covered with turbans (one can barely see their eyes) or blurred during the video montage.

In their statements made in Swahili, English, Luganda, Arabic, Kinyarwanda... the leaders of ADF/ISCAP indicate that they are no longer the Allied Democratic Forces [ADF] that advocated for democracy, but rather fighters of the Islamic State in Central Africa with the goal of imposing Islam by the sword."

THE M23/AFC REBELLION REINFORCES ITS POSITIONS in Walikale as it eyes PINGA

In the North Kivu region, the security situation remains tense. According to our sources, the M23AFC rebellion is consolidating its positions near the strategic city of Pinga, controlled by the DRC Armed Forces in Walikale territory. Following the arrival of reinforcements in Mpety, Minjenje, and Malemo, the town of Ihula, in the Kisimba groupement, is now receiving additional troops and ammunition this Thursday, September 24, 2025.

Information gathered on the ground by our intelligence indicates that vehicles coming from Kikuku, in Rutshuru territory, have been seen transporting fighters and their supplies to this area. The same reinforcement operation was also reportedly observed in Lubero territory, where local sources report an increased rebel presence in recent days in several areas under their control, although the precise motive is still unclear.

According to reports, the villages of Mukii, Mirombo, and Kamuli, in the Ikobo groupement, and Kalinga, Buhimba, Ngambi, Mbukuru, and Mukohwa, in the Kisimba groupement (Walikale territory) in North Kivu, have been empty since Tuesday, September 23, 2025. The inhabitants deserted these villages on the orders of the AFC/M23 rebels.

According to administrative sources in these two groupements, the order came from the groupement leader appointed by the rebels in Ikobo. The latter also controls the northern part of the Kisimba groupement.

According to sources, the rebels forced the inhabitants of these villages to go to Rusamambu, Kateku, and Buleusa, in the Ikobo groupement, an area under their occupation.

The displacement of the population of these villages began this Tuesday afternoon, according to local customary authorities, who are concerned about the fate of their constituents forced to lead new lives far from their fields.

A day earlier, on Monday, September 22, the inhabitants of Misinga, in the Iremya locality, in the Ikobo groupement, were forced to leave their village and sent to Rusamambu in the Muronga locality, where they live in precarious humanitarian conditions, our sources in the region report.

According to sources, the AFC/M23 rebels are justifying their decision by what they describe as collaboration between the inhabitants of these villages and the Wazalendo. The rebels accuse the population of providing information about their movements to the Wazalendo.

A total of nine villages were left deserted in just 24 hours in the Kisimba and Ikobo groups (Wanyanga sector).

As a reminder, several other villages in the Walikale and Masisi territories have been abandoned by their inhabitants at the request of the AFC/M23 rebels. The most recent are Malemo, Minjenje, and Mpety, on the border between these two territories. The rebels are directing these inhabitants towards areas under their control, reportedly intending to launch large-scale operations in these areas affected by armed conflict.