The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says it is ready to facilitate the transfer of more than 5,000 FARDC soldiers recently released by the M23/AFC rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On March 8, 2026, M23/AFC officials, through spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka, announced that the soldiers—captured on various frontlines—had been freed. The soldiers had spent several months at the rebel camp in Rumangabo, North Kivu Province.
Kanyuka described the release as a humanitarian gesture and a confidence-building measure, aimed at easing tensions in line with international humanitarian law. He also accused the Kinshasa government of refusing to release M23/AFC fighters and other detainees he described as arbitrarily held. In a statement on Monday, François Moreillon, head of the ICRC delegation in the DRC, confirmed the organization stands ready to support the transfer, acting as a neutral intermediary with the agreement of all parties.
This follows a similar operation in late February 2026, when M23/AFC released 40 minors, about 100 women, and 230 FARDC soldiers after humanitarian talks with European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib. Many of the soldiers were treated at Katindo Military Hospital. In May 2025, the ICRC facilitated the transfer of over 1,300 disarmed soldiers from Goma to Kinshasa following previous releases by M23/AFC rebels. Despite these developments, fighting continues on the frontlines.
On Monday, FARDC and coalition forces regained the Kazinga area in Masisi Territory, North Kivu, after two weeks of rebel occupation. The offensive followed tensions sparked by the killing of M23/AFC political spokesperson Willy Ngoma in a drone strike by FARDC. Since resurfacing in 2022 under Bertrand Bisimwa and Sultan Makenga, M23/AFC has clashed repeatedly with the DRC government over ceasefire violations. The government accuses Rwanda of backing the rebels, claims denied by both Kigali and M23.
The rebels say they aim to fight corruption, xenophobia, and discrimination within Congo’s political leadership, having launched a rapid offensive in early 2025 that captured several key towns and raised fears of a wider regional conflict. URN