GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo – The rebel group Alliance Fleuve Congo/M23 (AFC/M23) has issued a scathing communiqué accusing the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo of launching a “comprehensive offensive” and orchestrating “massacres,” marking a dramatic escalation in the long-running conflict in the country’s restive east.
In an official statement dated October 28, 2025, the AFC/M23 declared that the Kinshasa regime has “sabotaged all international peace efforts” and chosen a “path of criminal barbarism.”
The communiqué, released by the group’s Department of Communication, alleges that in the early hours of Tuesday, government forces launched a widespread attack across all front lines. The group claims that heavy artillery and combat drones were “deliberately aimed at densely populated areas” in the towns of Kibati, Bibwe, Nyabiondo, and Bukombo.
“Children and women are being killed, and the number of casualties and displaced persons is rising at an alarming rate,” the statement reads, characterizing the government’s actions as an “indiscriminate aggression.”
Confronted with what it calls a “murderous campaign,” the AFC/M23 claims it is left with no choice but to exercise its “right to self-defence.” The group vowed to “employ all necessary means to protect civilian populations and to put the criminals out of action.”
The accusations come amid fragile ceasefire agreements that have repeatedly broken down in the region. The AFC/M23’s statement portrays the conflict as a direct war by the government “against the Congolese people,” a narrative it uses to justify its military actions.
There has been no immediate independent verification of the specific attacks described in the rebel communiqué. The government in Kinshasa has consistently labeled the AFC/M23 as a terrorist organization and has previously accused the group, which it claims is backed by neighboring Rwanda, of being the aggressor in ceasefire violations.
The international community, including the United Nations and the United States, has repeatedly called for dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the conflict, which has displaced millions and fueled one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. This latest allegation from the rebel group suggests a significant deterioration of the security situation, threatening to plunge the region into a new and more violent chapter of warfare.
