DRC Government Says Some M23 Fighters Will Not Be Integrated Into National Army

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government has announced that it will selectively integrate members of the M23 rebel group into its national army, excluding those accused of committing serious crimes.

The integration of M23 fighters into the Congolese army was one of the key provisions of the Doha Principles, signed in Qatar on July 19, 2025, following months of negotiations that began earlier this year.

M23 resumed fighting in November 2021 after nearly four years of urging President Félix Tshisekedi to honor his earlier commitment to incorporate its members into state security forces—a pledge made during previous peace talks. The group has long argued that many of its members were once part of the national army.

After signing the Doha Principles, M23 declared its readiness to help stabilize eastern DRC, a region destabilized for decades by ethnic militias and armed groups fueled by hatred and division.

During a press conference in Kinshasa on October 8, 2025, government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya was asked whether the administration would seek parliamentary approval to allow M23 fighters to join the army.

Muyaya responded that any integration process would follow strict guidelines and that those guilty of grave offenses would be barred from military service.

“When you speak of integration, you must add the words ‘under specific conditions.’ This means there will be a vetting process,” Muyaya said. “Let me remind everyone that the President does not tolerate impunity.”

He clarified that individuals implicated in war crimes, genocide, or crimes against humanity would be excluded, while others might be considered for reintegration.

Muyaya’s statement suggests that senior M23 commanders, including Maj. Gen. Sultani Makenga, will not qualify for integration. In August 2024, the High Military Court in Kinshasa sentenced Makenga, Lt. Col. Willy Ngoma, and several others to death for crimes including war crimes, membership in an illegal armed group, and treason.

The announcement underscores the DRC government’s intention to combine reconciliation efforts with accountability, even as peace negotiations with AFC/M23 continue under Qatari mediation.