The AFC/M23 coalition, which is fighting against the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has announced that it has gained 9,318 new commandos who have undergone months of military training at the Tchanzu military camp in North Kivu Province.
The ceremony to welcome the new commandos into AFC/M23 was led by senior military officials from the coalition, including its Commander-in-Chief, Major General Sultani Makenga, on July 20, 2026.
Gen. Maj. Makenga accused the DRC government of killing civilians with the support of armed groups, including Burundian forces, the FDLR rebel group, and the Wazalendo coalition. He said AFC/M23 is fighting to stop what he described as these killings.
He urged the newly recruited commandos to join their colleagues on the battlefield to defend civilians and restore peace and security, allowing displaced people to return to their homes and rebuild their lives.
The commander told the new recruits that their conduct should be different from that of the Congolese army, which he accused of looting, committing sexual violence, and killing innocent civilians. He urged them to maintain discipline and good behavior.
“We must sacrifice ourselves for our brothers and sisters, for our country, and for our community. If you do this, it will bring you honor because you will be liberating your country, your fellow citizens, and the Congolese people as a whole,” Gen. Maj. Makenga said.
He explained that AFC/M23’s main objective is to remove what it describes as a bad government and replace it with a better one. He said achieving this goal requires the commandos to maintain good behavior, respect themselves, and respect the population.
In September 2025, AFC/M23 also welcomed 7,437 new commandos, followed by another 9,350 recruits who joined the coalition in October of the same year. The recruits included former civilians, former members of the Congolese army, and Wazalendo fighters who agreed to join the movement.
