DRC: Kabila Returns From Exile and Lands in Rebel-Held Goma

According to two of his allies and a rebel official, former Congolese President Joseph Kabila, who the government accuses of aiding rebels in the country’s east, returned to Congo on Friday after going into self-imposed exile and arrived in Goma city, which is controlled by rebels.

According to a close aide of the former president, Kabila, who fled Congo in 2023, travelled to Goma “to participate in peace efforts” in the conflict-torn east, where M23 rebels supported by Rwanda had taken control of substantial areas of land, including the vital eastern metropolis.

A top M23 officer and another colleague of Kabila also verified the former president’s homecoming. Since they were not permitted to address the media on the subject, the three talked under the condition of anonymity.

The rebels’ assault and capture of Goma in January and the town of Bukavu in February marked a turning point in Congo’s decades-long struggle. With around 7 million people displaced, the conflict has exacerbated one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world and claimed about 3,000 lives.

According to his adviser, Kabila wants “to participate in efforts to find peace in the country.” “Without the Congolese, everyone is talking about the Congo. This is not typical. According to his aide, who travelled with Kabila, the former president is anticipated to speak to the people of Goma at some point. Kabila’s goals and the length of his stay in Goma were not immediately apparent.

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