The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has placed a $5 million bounty on three key figures leading a rebel insurgency in the country’s east, signaling a renewed push to curb the ongoing violence.
The wanted individuals include Corneille Nangaa, a former electoral commission chief who now heads the Congo River Alliance (CRA), a coalition that includes the notorious M23 rebel group. Also targeted are M23 leaders Sultani Makenga and Bertrand Bisimwa, both of whom have been instrumental in the group’s military advances.
The three men were convicted in absentia last year by a military court and sentenced to death for treason. Their forces have overrun significant parts of eastern DRC, including the major cities of Goma and Bukavu, leaving the national army struggling to regain control. Despite the bounties, their capture remains uncertain as M23 continues to outmaneuver government forces with backing from Rwanda.
In addition to the $5 million reward for the rebel leaders, the Congolese government has also placed a $4 million bounty on two exiled journalists and other individuals it describes as collaborators.
President Félix Tshisekedi has shifted focus toward garnering international support, particularly calling for sanctions against Rwanda, which has been accused of directly supporting the M23 rebels. A UN report last year estimated that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were actively involved in M23’s operations within DRC. Rwanda, while no longer outright denying its ties to M23, insists that its involvement is meant to prevent the conflict from spilling into its territory.
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Tensions between the two nations remain high, with DRC accusing Rwanda of attempting to seize control of its mineral wealth. The eastern region of DRC is rich in valuable resources like gold and coltan, a mineral essential for manufacturing mobile phones and other electronics. Reports suggest that DRC has approached the United States for support in exchange for access to these strategic resources.
Last month, presidential spokeswoman Tina Salama reiterated on social media that President Tshisekedi was inviting American companies to source raw materials directly from DRC instead of relying on supplies funneled through Rwanda. The Congolese government maintains that Rwanda has been smuggling these minerals out of DRC, a claim Kigali firmly denies.
The conflict has devastated local communities, leading to thousands of deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Many have been forced to flee their homes, seeking refuge in overcrowded camps with limited access to basic necessities.
Amid these challenges, Rwanda has also accused the Congolese government of harboring and collaborating with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a group linked to perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. DRC, however, strongly denies any alliance with the FDLR, branding Rwanda’s allegations as an attempt to justify its interference in Congolese affairs.
With no immediate resolution in sight, the situation in eastern DRC remains precarious, leaving the region’s civilians caught in the crossfire of a conflict fueled by geopolitical tensions, mineral wealth, and decades-old ethnic grievances.
