The political and military coalition AFC/M23 has officially announced the integration of 9,350 new soldiers who completed military training at the Tchanzu training camp, located in the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The induction ceremony was led by the M23 military commander, Gen Sultan Makenga.
These new soldiers add to over 8,000 others who joined the AFC/M23 forces over the past month, indicating that the group is increasing its military capacity amid ongoing fighting in eastern Congo.
The training focused on key areas such as combat in challenging terrains, unarmed self-defense, marching drills, military discipline, and teamwork during operations. AFC/M23 states that its objective is to bring change to the governance of the DRC, accusing the current government of neglecting citizens’ security and causing mass displacement.
In his speech, Gen Sultan Makenga declared that the new recruits are now officially part of the ARC (Armée Révolutionnaire Congolaise), the armed wing of the AFC/M23 coalition. He urged them to uphold discipline and avoid actions that could harm civilians.
On Friday, M23 announced that it had taken control of the areas of Kishadu and Chuwe in South Kivu.
Security analysts in the region say that the increase in troop numbers on the side of AFC/M23 could intensify the conflict, especially since the group has consistently stated its intention to advance toward Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC.
