The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) has accused the Kinshasa regime of violating the recently signed Ceasefire Monitoring and Verification Mechanism agreed upon in Doha, Qatar. In a statement issued on Wednesday, October 15, the group claimed that government coalition forces launched heavy bombardments on civilian areas and rebel positions in the South Kivu and North Kivu Provinces, mere hours after the peace accord was formalized.

According to the communiqué, the attacks involved the use of drones and Sukhoi-25 fighter jets, followed by coordinated ground assaults in Kadasomwa, Lumbishi, and Kasake. The AFC/M23 described these actions as “aggressive and deliberate,” asserting that Kinshasa’s forces had chosen to abandon the peace process in favor of a “warmongering agenda.”

 “By pursuing its warmongering agenda and openly disregarding calls from the international community and all partners, the Kinshasa regime has undermined the peaceful resolution of conflict in the DRC,” the statement read.

The group further alleged that the offensive operations have caused rising civilian casualties, claiming that non-combatants are being “deliberately targeted and killed” through drone strikes and infantry assaults. It warned that the ongoing violence is aggravating an already critical humanitarian situation in the eastern part of the country.

Calling for international attention, the AFC/M23 appealed to the Observers of the Ceasefire Monitoring and Verification Mechanism, the African Union, the State of Qatar, and the United States to “take note of this latest flouting of the peace process.” The group reaffirmed its stance alongside local communities, vowing to “defend and protect the Congolese people by all necessary means.”

The statement, signed by Lawrence Kanyuka, Head of Department of Communication for Alliance Fleuve Congo, concluded with a firm commitment to remain “shoulder to shoulder with the civilian populations” amid the renewed hostilities.

The ceasefire mechanism signed in Doha was expected to mark a major step toward de-escalation in eastern DRC, where recurrent clashes between government forces and armed groups continue to destabilize the region.

AFC/M23 Condemns Kinshasa Regime for Alleged Ceasefire Violations after Doha Agreement