The Armed Forces of the Congolese Coalition (AFC/M23) have issued a strong response to accusations from the Kinshasa government and international organizations, rejecting claims of forced recruitment and child soldier conscription.
In a public statement released this week, the AFC/M23 reiterated that all recruitment into its ranks is carried out on a strictly voluntary basis, in full compliance with national and international laws, including the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and key international instruments such as the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
The AFC/M23 organizes recruitment based on the principle of volunteering in strict compliance with its code of conduct, the laws of the Republic, the Constitution and international legal instruments, the statement reads.
It added that the process is designed to ensure transparency and respect for human rights.
Recruitment is carried out through public calls, targeting specific categories of individuals based on age and health criteria, and without coercion or hidden methods.
The movement clarified that its outreach efforts are open and verifiable, and that it has never used force in any recruitment drive.
The group also noted a growing number of surrenders from FARDC soldiers, particularly from regions such as Bunagana, Rutshuru, Masisi, Lubero, Goma, and Bukavu, who have joined the AFC’s armed wing, the Revolutionary Congolese Army (ARC).
This trend, according to the group, reflects a deepening loss of morale within the government forces and a shift in perception among local populations and soldiers on the ground.
The AFC/M23’s statement follows renewed allegations from the Congolese government and some international observers, accusing the group of conscripting minors and forcibly enlisting civilians amid its expanding influence in eastern Congo. Human rights organizations have called for independent investigations.
However, the M23 insists that its internal code of conduct strictly prohibits the recruitment of underage individuals, and that it welcomes any neutral, verifiable investigations into its recruitment practices to confirm adherence to international norms.
The group further positioned itself as a stabilizing force in the region, contrasting its approach with what it describes as systematic failures by Kinshasa to ensure security, order, and respect for the rights of its own military personnel and civilians.
As tensions continue in the east, the issue of recruitment practices is becoming another key point in the battle for legitimacy both militarily and diplomatically between the DRC government and the AFC/M23.