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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has announced a $5 million (£4 million) reward for information leading to the arrest of three leaders of the M23 rebel group, which has seized large parts of eastern DRC in 2025.
Among those targeted is Corneille Nangaa, a former head of the DRC’s electoral commission, who now leads the Congo River Alliance—a coalition that includes M23. Nangaa has held public rallies in cities under the group’s control. The bounty also applies to M23’s military commander, Sultani Makenga, and its political leader, Bertrand Bisimwa.
In 2023, a military court in DRC sentenced all three men to death in absentia for treason. Additionally, the government has offered a $4 million reward for the arrest of their accomplices.
Despite the bounties, the likelihood of capturing the rebel leaders remains uncertain, as the Congolese army has struggled against the Rwandan-backed M23 forces. The rebels have taken control of major cities in the east, including Goma and Bukavu, key hubs in the resource-rich region.
With the military unable to regain control, President Félix Tshisekedi has shifted his focus to rallying international support for sanctions against Rwanda, which he accuses of backing M23. A United Nations report last year estimated that up to 4,000 Rwandan troops were assisting M23 in DRC.
The ongoing violence has led to thousands of deaths and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes, worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis.
In a strategic move, DRC is seeking U.S. support in exchange for access to its valuable minerals, which include gold and coltan—critical components in mobile phones and other electronics.
Responding to reports that DRC was offering these resources in return for military aid, presidential spokeswoman Tina Salama stated that Tshisekedi was urging U.S. companies to buy directly from Congo rather than sourcing minerals from Rwanda, which she accused of looting them from DRC.
Rwanda denies stealing minerals from DRC but acknowledges its support for M23, arguing that its involvement is aimed at preventing the conflict from spilling over into its territory. Kigali has also accused the Congolese government of working with the FDLR, an armed group linked to those responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which 800,000 people—mostly ethnic Tutsis—were killed.
Both the M23 and the Rwandan government are led by Tutsis, while the Congolese government firmly denies any alliance with the FDLR, which Rwanda calls a “genocidal militia.”
As the conflict intensifies, the success of Tshisekedi’s diplomatic push and the impact of the bounty on rebel leaders remain to be seen.
The post DR Congo Offers $5M Bounty for Rebel Leaders Amid Escalating Conflict appeared first on Arise News.
