Former DR Congo President Kabila joins M23 rebels in a new coalition

Former Congolese President Joseph Kabila has unveiled a new political and military coalition, incorporating the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group. The coalition, named the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), was introduced at a press conference in Goma, a city under M23 control since January 2025. Kabila declared that he will lead the FRN alongside rebel leaders, such as Corneille Nangaa, former head of the Congo River Alliance and the political arm of M23, who will serve as his deputies.

Claude Ibalanky, a coalition advisor, stated that the group aims to unite all resistance forces "to put an end to tyranny by any means necessary, including the use of force". The DRC government has not yet commented on the announcement. Al Jazeera's Alain Uaykani, reporting from Goma, expressed growing concerns that the situation in eastern DRC could worsen.

Uaykani noted that rebels currently control key cities like Goma, Bukabu, airports, and vital border crossings with Rwanda and Uganda, with the government struggling to regain ground. Moreover, talks to resolve the conflict have so far failed, with both sides accusing each other.