AFC/M23 releases 5,000 FARDC soldiers captured on the battlefield

The AFC/M23 movement handed over more than 5,000 soldiers of the Congolese army (FARDC) captured on different battlefronts.

The rebel group’s spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka on Sunday said the handover took place on Monday, March 2, at the Rumangabo barracks in North Kivu province.

Kanyuka added that the captured soldiers would be transported to Kinshasa under the supervision of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which facilitated the transfer of another 1,359 disarmed soldiers and dependents from Goma to the capital city in late April 2025.

The movement described the move as a gesture aimed at easing tensions and complying with obligations under international humanitarian law.

“With this humanitarian gesture, the AFC/M23 reaffirms its commitment to respecting the obligations undertaken within the [Doha peace] framework of confidence-building measures and to contributing to the easing of tensions,” the statement reads.

However, the group accused the government in Kinshasa of maintaining an “obstinate stance,” by refusing to release detained members of the rebel movement.

Kanyuka also accused the government of continuous ceasefire violations and targeting civilians and their property.

The rebel movement further called on mediators and international partners to take note of repeated violations of the ceasefire by the administration of President Felix Tshisekedi, warning that violence against Congolese civilians should not be ignored.

The handover comes amid ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalating the conflict.

In September last year, Kinshasa and AFC/M23 reached an agreement to establish a prisoner exchange mechanism as part of confidence-building measures under the Doha peace process.

Under the arrangement, ICRC was mandated to act as a neutral intermediary responsible for identifying, verifying and facilitating the safe release of detainees held by both sides.

Earlier this year, the AFC/M23 and the Congolese government also signed a mandate in Doha to operationalise a ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism.

The mechanism allows monitoring teams led by MONUSCO, working alongside the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), to verify compliance with the ceasefire and report violations.

The initiative is part of the broader Doha Peace Framework aimed at ending hostilities and supporting efforts toward a political resolution of the conflict.

Despite these diplomatic initiatives, tensions on the ground have remained high.

AFC/M23 has repeatedly accused the Congolese government coalition of violating the ceasefire through drone strikes, artillery attacks and troop deployments in eastern DR Congo.