UN Report Links Retired Rwandan General James Kabarebe to AFC/M23 Offensive on Uvira
A new report by the United Nations Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo has alleged that retired Rwandan General James Kabarebe played a significant coordinating role in the AFC/M23 offensive that resulted in the capture of the city of Uvira.
According to the report, the military operation was directly led by AFC/M23 commanders Sultani Makenga and Bernard Byamungu. However, UN experts allege that Gen. (Rtd) Kabarebe played "a key role in coordinating" the offensive.
The experts state that information gathered from multiple sources, including individuals they identify as being affiliated with AFC/M23 and the Rwanda Defence Force, indicated that plans to seize Uvira had been prepared well in advance of the assault.
Uvira, the second-largest city in South Kivu Province, fell to AFC/M23 forces on December 10, 2025, following intense fighting that began in late November 2025.
The report further states that the capture of Uvira formed part of a broader AFC/M23 strategy to expand its territorial control across South Kivu, as the armed group continued to consolidate its presence in eastern DRC.
Separately, the United States Department of the Treasury previously imposed sanctions on Gen. (Rtd) Kabarebe, alleging that he played a central role in coordinating Rwanda's alleged support for M23 and facilitating the group's territorial expansion in eastern Congo.
According to the U.S. government, Kabarebe was a "key figure" in coordinating the assistance Washington alleges Rwanda provided to the M23 movement.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Rwanda rejected the sanctions, describing them as baseless and ineffective.
In a statement issued at the time, the ministry said:
"The OFAC sanctions are unjustified and without basis. If sanctions were capable of resolving the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, peace would have been achieved in the region decades ago."
The Rwandan government also noted that similar sanctions had been imposed in the past and urged the public not to be concerned by the measures.
Rwanda has consistently denied allegations that it supports M23, while UN experts and several Western governments have maintained that Kigali has provided assistance to the rebel group—claims that Rwanda continues to reject.
