On Thursday, the AFC/M23 movement, through its political coordinator Corneille Nangaa, strongly condemned what it called the “irresponsible” and “war-mongering” statements made by President Félix Tshisekedi during a speech in Houston, United States. Speaking after the World Cup match between DRC and Portugal, Tshisekedi promised an imminent reconquest of areas held by the politico-military group in the eastern part of the country.
In a statement issued on June 18, 2026, in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, Nangaa reaffirmed his group’s determination to defend itself against what it views as threats from Kinshasa. He expressed bewilderment at the international community’s reaction to Tshisekedi’s stance, alleging that such passivity amounts to complicity. According to Nangaa, the international community has been fully informed of the intensified government attacks on the ground, which violate existing commitments and undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalation.
“Faced with this dramatic situation and the ensuing calamities, we have a responsibility before God, history, and the nation to point out this deafening silence from the mediators and partners in the peace process—a silence that borders on complicity. The international community possesses detailed information about the ground reality, the massive civilian death toll, and the perpetrators of these crimes,” Nangaa charged.
He further noted:
“The mediators of the Doha peace talks, diplomatic missions, international agencies, and human rights organizations are all aware of the continuous deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation in the region, particularly in the Minembwe highlands. This lack of action reinforces impunity and encourages the continuation of violence.”
Nangaa also criticized what he perceives as a tendency to downplay the security crisis in eastern DRC. He accused Tshisekedi of systematically sabotaging peace efforts while international partners look on powerlessly.
“We refuse to let the suffering of the people in eastern Congo be treated as a peripheral tragedy unfolding, as they often say, more than 2,000 kilometers from Kinshasa. Every human life deserves equal protection and consideration. We draw attention to the numerous obstacles, deceptions, manipulations, and intrigues orchestrated by Mr. Félix Tshisekedi and his international partners, which severely compromise peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” Nangaa lamented.
He added:
“The reinforcement of military deployments and the continuous introduction of new forces on the ground are antithetical to any sincere de-escalation process. Many commitments made under the peace process remain unfulfilled. While the AFC/M23 has released several hundred prisoners of war as a confidence-building measure, the reciprocal commitments expected from the Kinshasa regime have seen no implementation.”
This latest verbal clash between Kinshasa, represented by President Tshisekedi, and the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebellion occurs against a backdrop of diplomatic initiatives, including the Washington agreements and the Doha process, aimed at establishing a lasting ceasefire and resuming dialogue between the parties to the conflict that has plagued eastern DRC for years. However, these efforts have yet to yield tangible results on the ground, where hostilities between the rebellion and government forces persist.
National, regional, and international voices continue to urge all parties to honor their commitments under the peace initiatives. For now, these appeals have had little effect. The gap between the realities on the ground and the diplomatic progress recorded on paper remains wide, as each side interprets the accords according to its own perspective, making implementation ever more uncertain.
