UN report reveals Kabila’s close to military groups

A new UN Group of Experts report paints the clearest picture yet of the AFC/M23’s military strength and political ambitions in eastern DRC, while highlighting the movement’s increasingly close ties with former President Joseph Kabila. The report suggests that this evolving relationship could culminate in a major restructuring of the rebel alliance, even as fighting continues across North and South Kivu, reports africanews. Kabila has become an increasingly prominent figure in the AFC/M23's political trajectory, according to the UN Group of Experts. Investigators say Kabila has visited territories under the movement's control since May 2025 and held meetings with its leadership, underscoring what the report describes as a growing political association. The experts cite multiple sources indicating that discussions are underway to fundamentally restructure the movement, including the possibility of adopting a new name. The reported changes reflect an effort to broaden the alliance's political appeal while reinforcing its long-term ambitions in eastern DRC. The report estimates the AFC/M23 now commands around 30 000 fighters, making it one of the largest armed movements operating in the eastern DRC. According to the experts, the force includes veterans from the former CNDP (National Congress for the Defence of the People) and the original 2012 M23 rebellion, as well as thousands of former members of the Congolese Armed Forces, police officers and Wazalendo fighters. The UN estimates that between 14 000 and 18 000 Rwandan soldiers were deployed across North and South Kivu as of late December 2025. Rather than indicating a withdrawal, subsequent troop movements are believed to represent routine rotations. The experts also identify former General James Kabarebe, now a senior defence adviser to President Paul Kagame, as the official responsible for co-ordinating with both AFC/M23 and Kabila.

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