Last Thursday, M23 spokesperson, Maj Willy Ngoma released a statement announcing the defection to M23 of two FARDC-Wazalendo senior officers and more than 100 junior soldiers. Ngoma said that Lt Col. Jean-Pierre Biyoyo on Wednesday crossed to join M23 with more than 100 junior officers in Rutshuru territory while Col Bahati Balingengene Saddam crossed from the 21st brigade with other many junior officers.
“Many senior and junior officers have left the FARDC and joined the M23, including Colonel Biyoyo who is currently in Rutshuru since yesterday. Long live the Sarambwe Lions.” Â Â Â Â
However, on Friday, Jules Mulumba, spokesperson of the Wazalendo released a statement dispelling Ngoma’s claims and describing them as extremely false. Mulumba says that the officers Ngoma is describing are stage-managed by M23 and its backup Rwanda to create confusion among the population. Mulumba says that no Wazalendo and FARDC soldier can defect to the M23 side.   Â
“False and extremely false! No real Muzalendo can join the RDF-UPDF-M23 terrorists. If there is only one true one, let him declare it himself. Rwanda tried to create its own but not the real ones. The real ones, we stay the course and we can never betray,” said Mulumba in a statement.   Â
Following the withdrawal of Ugandan, Kenyan, South Sudanese, and Burundian troops deployed under East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) in December 2023 after the DRC government refused to extend their mandate, M23 rebels re-occupied the positions in Rutshuru, Nyiragongo and Masisi territories. Â
Currently, there is a lull of gun sound on all fronts, but all parties remain on alert as they keep their positions. In March 2022, M23 led by Bertrand Bisimwa and Gen Sultan Makenga launched a war against the government. The DRC government accuses Rwanda of backing M23, but Rwanda and M23 strongly deny it. The rebels claim to fight against bad leadership in DRC based on corruption, xenophobia, and discrimination. Â Â Â
inarticle} inarticle}
