The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has announced a $5 million (£4 million) reward for information leading to the capture of three leaders from a rebel group that has taken control of significant areas in the eastern part of the country this year. Corneille Nangaa, a former head of the electoral commission, currently leads the Congo River Alliance, which encompasses the M23 rebel faction. He has been actively speaking at large gatherings in cities under the group’s influence.The reward also extends to M23 leaders Sultani Makenga and Bertrand Bisimwa. Last year, a military court convicted the three men in absentia, sentencing them to death for treason.Additionally, a $4 million (£3 million) reward has been offered for the arrest of two exiled journalists and others whom the government labels as accomplices. However, the likelihood of any arrests seems low. Recently, the army has struggled against the Rwandan-backed rebels, who have gained control over vast areas of the mineral-rich eastern DR Congo, including the major cities of Goma and Bukavu.
President Félix Tshisekedi has shifted his focus towards generating international pressure on Rwanda to impose sanctions for its support of rebel groups. A report from UN experts last year indicated that as many as 4,000 Rwandan troops were collaborating with the M23 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The ongoing conflict has resulted in thousands of fatalities and left hundreds of thousands displaced from their homes. The Congolese government is also seeking assistance from the United States in exchange for access to its mineral resources. DRC accuses Rwanda of attempting to seize control of its valuable minerals, including gold and coltan, which are essential for consumer electronics like mobile phones and computers. In response to claims that DRC was offering mineral access in return for military support against the M23 rebels, presidential spokeswoman Tina Salama stated on X last month that President Tshisekedi was inviting U.S. companies, which source strategic raw materials from Rwanda—materials allegedly looted from DRC and smuggled into Rwanda—to instead procure them from the Congolese, the “rightful owners.” Rwanda has denied allegations of mineral looting from DRC. While it acknowledges its support for the M23, it asserts that its involvement aims to prevent the conflict from spilling over into its own borders. Additionally, Rwanda accuses the Congolese government of collaborating with another armed group in DRC, which is linked to the perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, during which approximately 800,000 individuals, primarily ethnic Tutsis, were killed. Both the M23 and the Rwandan government are led by Tutsis. The Congolese government, however, refutes any association with the FDLR group, which Rwanda labels as a “genocidal militia.”
