FARDC said that the fighters had recently gathered in Walikale, in North Kivu, but have now been transferred to Kisangani in Tshopo province.

Reports confirm that the fighters were moved from Walikale to Kisangani on Thursday, November 7, 2025, through the Kigoma airstrip located in Walikale.

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Major Dieudonné Kasereka, spokesperson for the 34th Military Division of the Congolese Army, said that these soldiers, who were formerly part of the AFC/M23 coalition, decided to defect following pressure from the national army and the Wazalendo militia, as both forces continue to launch attacks on M23 positions across various parts of North Kivu.

Kasereka added that this is the fifth group of former M23 fighters to be transferred to Kisangani after voluntarily surrendering to the government forces.

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According to FARDC, the arrival of these 72 combatants brings the total number of surrendered fighters sent to Kisangani in the past month to 500.

The army further stated that the increasing number of AFC/M23 fighters surrendering is evidence of the growing pressure on M23 combatants still on the frontlines, as emphasized by Major Dieudonné Kasereka.

However, the AFC coalition, which includes the M23 group, has not made any public statement regarding these developments.