UN Report Accuses Rwanda of Direct Command Over M23 Rebels, Seeks to Expand Influence in Eastern Congo

NEW YORK / KINSHASA / KIGALI — Rwanda has exerted command and control over the M23 rebel group during its recent military offensive in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a confidential United Nations expert report reviewed by Reuters. The report details how Rwanda’s alleged support has helped M23 gain control over strategic, mineral-rich territories while expanding Kigali's political leverage in the region.

Submitted in May to the UN Security Council sanctions committee on the DRC, the report outlines extensive military backing provided by Rwanda to M23 rebels, including advanced weaponry and the deployment of “high-tech systems capable of neutralizing air assets.” These assets reportedly granted M23 a “decisive tactical advantage” over the Congolese armed forces (FARDC).

The expert panel, mandated by the UN, said Rwanda provided training to M23 recruits at military facilities in Gabiro, Nasho, and Gako. In the lead-up to M23’s territorial gains, the report estimates Rwanda deployed as many as 6,000 troops to North and South Kivu provinces. At the time of the report’s drafting in April, between 1,000 and 1,500 Rwandan troops were believed to remain in rebel-held areas, with several thousand more stationed along the border, ready to deploy.

Military Coordination and Strategic Control

M23 captured key urban centers Goma and Bukavu earlier this year, prompting international concern about a wider regional conflict. The report asserts that Rwanda’s involvement went beyond support, describing it as operationally directive. In one instance, the experts noted M23’s withdrawal from Walikale—a mineral-rich town—as a “direct instruction from the Government of Rwanda,” reinforcing evidence of Kigali's strategic command.

“This included high-level decisions on whether to seize, hold, or relinquish territory, demonstrating operational coordination and hierarchical subordination,” the report stated.

Rwanda has consistently denied involvement with M23, maintaining that its security actions in the region are defensive measures against the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda), a group linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide. However, the UN report contends that Rwanda’s activities are not “primarily aimed at neutralizing the FDLR,” but rather at expanding control over Congolese territory.

Kigali Responds; Congo Silent

Yolande Makolo, spokesperson for the Rwandan government, dismissed the findings, stating that the report “misrepresents Rwanda’s longstanding security concerns” related to the FDLR. She emphasized that Kigali’s posture along the border is driven by persistent threats from hostile militias operating in Congolese territory.

Meanwhile, the government of Congo has yet to issue a formal response. However, the report also levels accusations against Kinshasa, alleging it has provided financial and logistical support to the FDLR and pro-government militia groups such as the Wazalendo, in violation of international sanctions.

Mounting Diplomatic Pressure

The latest revelations arrive amid intensified diplomatic efforts to end the violence. On Friday, the foreign ministers of Rwanda and Congo signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement in Washington, witnessed by President Donald Trump. The deal is seen as a potential pathway to unlocking billions in Western investment for the region, which is rich in key minerals such as tantalum, lithium, cobalt, copper, and gold.

Trump, who hosted the ministers for bilateral meetings, warned that any breach of the agreement would invite "very severe penalties—financial and otherwise." A parallel mediation effort is being hosted by Qatar, with delegations from both M23 and the Congolese government participating.

Makolo confirmed Rwanda’s commitment to the Washington deal, including measures to neutralize the FDLR, which she described as a prerequisite for lifting Kigali’s “defensive posture” in eastern Congo.

The UN report also alleges Rwanda violated the arms embargo with what it described as "flagrant and systematic" breaches. One alarming incident highlighted was a likely missile strike on a UN armoured vehicle in January—killing one peacekeeper and injuring four—believed to have originated from a Rwandan military position.

M23’s military advances earlier this year, including a westward push to Walikale that brought the group within 400 kilometers of Kisangani, sparked regional fears of escalation and posed a growing challenge to President Félix Tshisekedi’s administration.