Dozens of FARDC Soldiers Arrested for Allegedly Deserting Frontline Duties in Eastern DRC

Dozens of soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) have been arrested in Kalemie City, Tanganyika Province, for allegedly deserting the army and refusing deployment to the frontline amid renewed fighting with the March 23 Movement/Alliance Fleuve Congo (M23/AFC) rebels and their Twirwaneho allies.

The arrests follow an army operation launched on Monday after reports that soldiers who had abandoned their units were hiding on the outskirts of Kalemie City and allegedly causing panic among civilians. Heavy fighting continues across several fronts in North and South Kivu provinces. The latest resurgence of hostilities has enabled the M23/AFC rebels and their Twirwaneho allies to capture several strategic positions, including Point Zero in Minembwe, South Kivu Province.

The rebel advances forced FARDC soldiers and allied Wazalendo militias to retreat towards Kalemie City and surrounding areas. However, on Tuesday, FARDC and Wazalendo fighters announced that they had recaptured the strategic trading centre of Kipupu in Itombwe Sector, Mwenga Territory, following renewed fighting. While parading the arrested soldiers on Tuesday, FARDC spokesperson for Tanganyika Province, Sergeant Aristote Tshitamba, said the operation targeted deserters as well as individuals suspected of infiltrating the army.

Tshitamba said the crackdown was intended to restore discipline within the armed forces, prevent threats to public order and protect civilians in Kalemie City and neighbouring areas. According to him, some of the suspects are being held at Kalemie Central Prison pending legal proceedings. He also appealed to residents to continue cooperating with security agencies by reporting suspicious movements or activities that could threaten peace and stability in the province.

The arrests come as senior military officials from FARDC and representatives of regional and international partners continue efforts to strengthen the ceasefire monitoring mechanism in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. On Monday, three FARDC officers—Lieutenant Colonel Cosmas Ben Epule, Major Fredy Lokuli Bofanda and Major André Kitoko Dimonekene—arrived in Goma alongside officials from the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and observers from Qatar, Togo, the African Union and the United States.

Also in Goma is Vivian van de Perre, MONUSCO’s Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Protection and Operations. The delegation is expected to support the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJM+), a regional framework established to monitor compliance with ceasefire and security commitments under ongoing peace initiatives. Despite these diplomatic efforts, FARDC and the M23/AFC continue to accuse each other of violating ceasefire agreements.

The Congolese government has repeatedly accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebellion, allegations that have been consistently denied by both the Rwandan government and the M23/AFC. The M23/AFC says its armed campaign seeks to address corruption, insecurity, xenophobia and discrimination against certain communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since launching a major offensive in early 2025, the group has captured several strategic towns in eastern DRC, heightening concerns over a wider regional conflict.