The AFC/M23 coalition has strongly condemned statements made by the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its allies, claiming that since M23 took control of the city of Goma in January 2025, the security situation has deteriorated further.
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These statements were made following remarks by Williams Teohna, the Senior MONUSCO Advisor for the Protection of Civilians, during a press briefing held on May 22, 2025. In his remarks, Teohna stated that “security issues in Goma have increased compared to the period before the city was taken over.”
Responding to these claims, M23, through its spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka, asserted that MONUSCO’s statements are intended solely to sabotage the ongoing Doha peace talks between M23 and the Congolese government.
He added that it was also a tactic to cover up military attacks carried out by the Congolese government against M23 positions, including the assaults that took place on April 11 and 12, 2025, near Goma.
Kanyuka pointed out that before M23 captured Goma, refugee camps were being used by government forces as defense bases, where long-range artillery was placed, putting the lives of civilians at risk. He claimed that thanks to M23’s measures, all those displaced people have now been returned to their villages.
M23 also accused the Congolese government of turning Goma into a haven for armed individuals, both military and civilian, where numerous acts of violence and killings occurred. Kanyuka said that prior to M23’s control of the city, there were cases of abductions, sexual violence, ethnic discrimination, and the arming of civilians.
He expressed surprise that Williams Teohna had never once condemned these crimes, yet was now criticizing M23, an entity that had, according to him, put a stop to those violations upon taking control of Goma.
Kanyuka said that since M23’s takeover of Goma, order and the rule of law have been restored, and normal life in the city has resumed. He also noted that M23 security forces are continuing operations to collect weapons that had been distributed to civilians by the government and are now posing a threat to security.
The AFC/M23 coalition called on the international community to reject the falsehoods spread by the Congolese government and its allies, and instead support efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace in Goma through cooperation.
