Lieutenant-Colonel Willy Ngoma, the military spokesperson for the M23 rebel group, was killed early Tuesday in a drone strike near the mining town of Rubaya in North Kivu.
According to AFP, the predawn strike dealt a significant blow to the movement amid fragile ceasefire efforts.
Ngoma had been under European Union sanctions since 2022 and was designated by the United States in 2023 for alleged human rights violations, including killings and sexual violence.
Hours before the strike, M23 political spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka accused Kinshasa on X of breaching the ceasefire.
He wrote, "In flagrant violation of its commitments, it [the Kinshasa regime] has unleashed a total war across all front lines and beyond... These criminal attacks, still ongoing, unequivocally demonstrate the Kinshasa regime's intent to sow terror, chaos, and death among civilian populations."
Le régime de Kinshasa a, une fois de plus, foulé aux pieds le cessez-le-feu. En violation flagrante de ses engagements, il a déclenché une guerre totale sur l’ensemble des lignes de front et au-delà.
— Lawrence KANYUKA (@LawrenceKanyuka) February 24, 2026
Ce mardi 24 février 2026, à 07h00 précises, ses forces coalisées ont lancé des…
The M23 later issued an obituary condemning the government’s “grave acts.”
The killing occurs despite a ceasefire brokered by Qatar and the U.S. administration.
The Washington accord, signed on December 4, 2025, called for the withdrawal of Rwandan troops and required President Félix Tshisekedi’s government to cease alleged support for the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
Despite diplomatic pressure, fighting continues to displace thousands.
The location of Ngoma’s death is strategic; Rubaya sits atop one of the world’s largest coltan deposits, supplying tantalum essential for mobile phones, computers, and military equipment.
In eastern Congo, control over such mineral wealth has long shaped the trajectory of armed conflict.
Dominance over Rubaya provides M23 with significant revenue and military leverage, making the battle for the region a matter of geopolitical importance extending well beyond the DRC’s borders.