The massive deployment, which includes heavy artillery and joint operations with regional allies such as the Burundi National Defense Force, comes amid peace negotiations in Washington and Qatar.

The Alliance Fleuve Congo, a coalition that includes the M23 rebel group, has condemned the move as a “criminally irresponsible” escalation that endangers densely populated areas and undermines ongoing diplomatic efforts.

“This military deployment constitutes a flagrant disregard and a direct insult to the ongoing talks,” said Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for the AFC/M23 alliance.

“Worse still, its coalition forces, including the Burundi National Defense Force, are deliberately aiming their heavy weapons at densely populated areas. This borders on a crime against humanity.”

Kinshasa has not officially confirmed the scale of the deployment, but military sources have described it as the largest single preparation for an offensive in the region since the 2013 defeat of M23 by a joint UN-Congolese force.

Government officials argue the preparations for the offensive are necessary to retake control of North and South Kivu, where M23 that have seized large swathes of territory since their resurgence in late 2021.

But Kanyuka warned that the government’s “duplicity” threatens to derail fragile talks.

“The regime stubbornly refuses to honor its commitments regarding confidence-building measures, even though the AFC/M23 has already met its demands,” he said, insisting that the group remains committed to dialogue.

“However, in the face of this criminal military aggression that directly threatens innocent civilian populations, we reserve the legitimate right to protect them and defend our positions,” he added.

The rebel-held city of Goma, a key commercial hub near the Rwandan border, has become the symbolic focus of Tshisekedi’s campaign, with Bukavu in South Kivu also targeted in what state media has framed as a national liberation push.

More than 7 million people are already displaced in the DRC, according to the UN, with North and South Kivu among the worst-affected provinces.

Weighing in on the situation, AFC/M23 Permanent Secretary Ben Mbonimpa questioned Kinshasa’s intentions: “Do the reinforcements of troops and military equipment on all FARDC front lines suggest an environment conducive to the Doha talks? One thing is certain, Kinshasa wants war! And it will wage it. Let’s watch. The ARC will defend itself, no matter what happens.”

His comments signal a hardening stance within the rebel alliance and raise doubts about the feasibility of continued peace efforts under current conditions.