M23 accuses Kinshasa of full-scale war

A drone strike that killed a senior rebel officer just blew the lid off an already crumbling ceasefire in eastern Congo.

Colonel Ngoma's killing

• Colonel Willy Ngoma of the Congolese Revolutionary Army died on 24 February 2026.
• A combat drone hit his convoy in Masisi territory after a late-night meeting.
• Rebel sources say 19 people were killed, counting his security detail.
• Kinshasa's army has not officially confirmed the strike.

AFC/M23 fires back publicly

• Lawrence Kanyuka signed the official communique on 28 February.
• The Alliance Fleuve Congo accused Kinshasa of launching a full-scale war.
• Drone strikes allegedly targeted soldiers and civilians far from front lines.
• The movement claims it flagged ceasefire violations for weeks beforehand.

Civilian impact claims

• AFC/M23 alleged massacres across North and South Kivu's populated areas.
• Warnings to peace-process partners were reportedly ignored entirely.
• The rebels say they remain committed to protecting civilians under their control.
• Hundreds of thousands of displaced people already crowd the eastern DRC.

Ground situation deteriorating

• Clashes have intensified around Masisi territory and mineral-rich Rubaya.
• Congolese authorities blame M23 for destabilizing the region with foreign backing.
• Rwanda and the rebels deny those allegations outright.
• Large-scale confrontation looks increasingly likely with tensions spiking.