Reports from human rights organizations—including Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International, and United Nations (UN) experts—have repeatedly highlighted that the ongoing conflict and territorial expansion by the AFC/M23 coalition have forced thousands of civilians to flee due to various security concerns.
While many civilians have fled active combat and shelling, others are running away out of fear of forced conscription into the AFC/M23 rebel forces, which continue to expand their control across the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Information obtained by Rwandatribune.rw indicates a rising number of individuals deserting the M23 frontlines or refusing to undergo mandatory military training. These individuals are seeking asylum in neighboring and international countries, including Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia. Others have sought refuge in areas protected by the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), claiming they were taken to the battlefield against their will or under false pretenses.
Among those identified from Jomba, located in the Bwisha Sector of Rutshuru Territory in North Kivu, are young men who faced intense pressure to join the fighting as insecurity escalated in their hometown. These include Mugabo Lambert, Gasherebuka John, Nduwayo Christian, Kwizera Jean, and Gashugi Lambert.
In 2024, Nduwayo Christian was reportedly pressured to join the fight against the Kinshasa government. He refused out of fear for his life, having witnessed many peers go to the frontlines and never return. Among his own relatives, Prince Rubonesha, Emmanuel Manzi, Ndayambaje Eric, Mahoro Yvan, and Ishimwe Roger are reported to have been killed in action.
Fearing the Frontlines: Forced Recruitment Drives Youths into Exile
Other youths who fled under similar circumstances to avoid forced recruitment include Shyaka Patrick, currently in the United States; Senkesha Damien, in Norway; and Muhire Bosco, in Germany. Additionally, Tuyishime Placide and a group of companions fled through Tanzania, moving onward toward the island of Mayotte.
Testimonies from residents in Goma and its outskirts underscore that men and young boys inside AFC/M23-controlled territories face a high risk of forced conscription. These accounts align with documentation from HRW, Amnesty International, and UN experts, which categorize these acts as civilian abductions and child soldier recruitment.
Conversely, the leadership of M23 has consistently denied these allegations. The group maintains that individuals join their ranks voluntarily, dismissing the critical human rights reports as propaganda advanced by the Kinshasa administration. Instead, AFC/M23 counter-accuses the Congolese government of abusing civilians, looting property, and integrating minors into armed groups alongside the FDLR, a militia linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
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