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In Focus | DRC, Rwanda
As fight against M23 continues, Kigali and Kinshasa wage war of intelligence

Faced with Kinshasa's accusations of support for the M23 by Kigali, Rwandan intelligence has been documenting collusion between the Congolese army and the FDLR rebel militias for several months. In this battle of narratives, each side is sharing their classified information with Western capitals. [...]

Published on 13/03/2023 at 05:40 GMT Reading time 8 minutes Olivier Liffran, Joan Tilouine

Intelligence reports are also used as weapons of war in the M23 crisis between Rwanda and the DRC. © Studio Pachamama // AFP/Isaac Kasamani/Amanuel Sileshi

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Defence, Diplomacy

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DRC
African Union
Agence nationale de renseignement
Alliance des Patriotes pour un Congo Libre et Souverain
Constant Ndima Kongba
Détection militaire des activités anti-patrie
Direction generale de migration
East African Community
Emmanuel Macron
Felix Tshisekedi
Force pour la protection du peuple hutu
Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo
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Jean-Herve Mbelu Biosha
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Spotlight | DRC
Kinshasa's secret operation to neutralise FDLR chief Omega

The DR Congo government has launched fresh military operations in North Kivu after a potential deal to ease tensions in the province fell through. They are no longer aimed solely at the M23 rebel group, but also at the Rwandan FDLR, one of Kinshasa's main allied forces in the conflict.

Subscribers only Defence 26.09.2024

Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) soldiers at a base in Lushebere, 50 kilometres north-east of Goma, on 26 November 2008.

DRC
DR Congo security chief seeks to reboot Paris-Kinshasa relations

Jean-Louis Esambo, who just took over as head of DR Congo's Conseil National de Sécurité, is seeking to rekindle relations with French intelligence and diplomatic services.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 13.11.2023

DRC
Lack of dialogue between M23 and Kinshasa paralyses DRC peace process

Rebels from the M23 movement are refusing to demobilise after Kinshasa rejected their demand for dialogue, effectively paralysing the Nairobi peace process which should have seen them laying down their arms at a former military base.

Subscribers only Defence, Diplomacy 26.07.2023

East African Regional Force (EACRF) soldiers guard Rumangabo camp, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on 6 January 2023.

Spotlight | DRC
Rubaya mine at heart of vast coltan trafficking network

Tonnes of the strategic mineral coltan are being extracted and exported illegally from mines owned by the family of MP Edouard Mwangachuchu Hizi, who is currently being tried by a military court. Armed groups have been trafficking the mineral, allegedly with the complicity of the security forces.

Subscribers only Mining, Politics 06.07.2023

Edouard Mwangachuchu, founder and former director of SMB, in the mining territory of Masisi, in 2011

DRC
UN report: experts again criticise Kigali's ongoing support for M23

Breaking news published on 18/06/23, 21.00 - A new publication by the UN group of experts on DRC has concluded that Kigali has continued to back M23 rebels in DR Congo, despite condemnations from Western governments over its involvement with the armed group.

Subscribers only Defence, Diplomacy 18.06.2023

DRC
Tshisekedi forced to reshuffle intelligence chiefs after ANR boss taken ill

ANR intelligence agency boss Jean-Hervé Mbelu Biosha's health problems have forced DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi to rush through a security services reshuffle that had been on the cards for at least a year.

Subscribers only Defence, Politics 31.05.2023

DRC
Hush-hush talks to plan NIA boss's transfer abroad for medical treatment

Health concerns have recently forced the head of the DRC's intelligence services, Jean-Hervé Mbelu Biosha, to temporarily hand over the reins to his deputy. A medical transfer abroad is being considered.

Subscribers only Defence 17.05.2023

Spotlight | DRC
Kinshasa in talks with CNOOC over Dan Gertler's former Lake Albert blocks

The oil blocks on the Congolese side of Lake Albert, long held by Israeli billionaire Gertler, are back on the market. Kinshasa is in confidential talks with the Chinese major CNOOC.

Subscribers only Energy 19.04.2023

DRC President Felix Tshisekedi, 22 September 2022.

DRC
Sarkozy due in Kinshasa to kick-start dialogue with Kagame

The Congolese leader Félix Tshisekedi has invited France's ex-president to Kinshasa in the hope that Sarkozy's good relations with Paul Kagame can be exploited to initiate a mediation over the M23 crisis in eastern DRC.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 22.03.2023

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy.

Spotlight | DRC
Tshisekedi weighs his military options against M23

In the conflict with the M23 rebels, the DRC president has to take into account his army's serious weaknesses and as well as the hostility of some in his entourage to Paul Kagame's regime. Although he has left the door open to mediation, he is still quietly planning large-scale military operations.

Subscribers only Defence, Politics, Diplomacy 27.01.2023

DRC army tanks on the border with Rwanda.

Spotlight | DRC
Foreign private military contractors flood into North Kivu

Africa Intelligence lifts the veil on the private security companies currently operating in the eastern DRC city of Goma. There are dozens of former Soviet soldiers present, as well as a French businessman and a Romanian veteran of the French Foreign Legion.

Subscribers only Defence 06.01.2023

Soldiers of the Congolese Republican Guard walk on the tarmac of the airport in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on 12th November 2022.

DRC, Rwanda
DRC/Rwanda: latest UN report gets behind-the-scenes of the proxy war

The recent report by the UN group of experts looks into allegations that the Congolese army is collaborating with the Mai-Mai and the FDLR in its battle against the M23, which has made considerable territorial gains of late.

Subscribers only Defence 22.12.2022

DRC, Rwanda
Kagame dispatches his spy masters to Kinshasa

Breaking news published on 15/07/22, 18:45 - According to Africa Intelligence, a delegation of senior Rwandan intelligence officials travelled to Kinshasa on 12 July for a secret meeting with the Congolese services.

Subscribers only Diplomacy 15.07.2022

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Emmanuel Macron
Felix Tshisekedi
Force pour la protection du peuple hutu
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Botswana, South Africa
From Gaborone to Antwerp, is De Beers's empire on the rocks?

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In Focus | DRC, Rwanda
As fight against M23 continues, Kigali and Kinshasa wage war of intelligence

This article may be accessed by subscribers

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create a free account

Set up email notifications for these topics

Spotlight | DRC
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About Africa Intelligence

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About Africa Intelligence

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Indigo Publications' websites

Botswana, South Africa From Gaborone to Antwerp, is De Beers's empire on the rocks?

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In Focus | DRC, Rwanda As fight against M23 continues, Kigali and Kinshasa wage war of intelligence

This article may be accessed by subscribers

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create a free account

Set up email notifications for these topics

Spotlight | DRC Kinshasa's secret operation to neutralise FDLR chief Omega

DRC DR Congo security chief seeks to reboot Paris-Kinshasa relations

DRC Lack of dialogue between M23 and Kinshasa paralyses DRC peace process

Spotlight | DRC Rubaya mine at heart of vast coltan trafficking network

DRC UN report: experts again criticise Kigali's ongoing support for M23

DRC Tshisekedi forced to reshuffle intelligence chiefs after ANR boss taken ill

DRC Hush-hush talks to plan NIA boss's transfer abroad for medical treatment

Spotlight | DRC Kinshasa in talks with CNOOC over Dan Gertler's former Lake Albert blocks

DRC Sarkozy due in Kinshasa to kick-start dialogue with Kagame

Spotlight | DRC Tshisekedi weighs his military options against M23

Spotlight | DRC Foreign private military contractors flood into North Kivu

DRC, Rwanda DRC/Rwanda: latest UN report gets behind-the-scenes of the proxy war

DRC, Rwanda Kagame dispatches his spy masters to Kinshasa

Set up email notifications for these topics

About Africa Intelligence

Subscription

Africa Intelligence on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

Botswana, South Africa
From Gaborone to Antwerp, is De Beers's empire on the rocks?

Mali, Senegal, Togo
The secrets of Demex, the trader selling Russian oil in West Africa

In Focus | DRC, Rwanda
As fight against M23 continues, Kigali and Kinshasa wage war of intelligence

Spotlight | DRC
Kinshasa's secret operation to neutralise FDLR chief Omega

DRC
DR Congo security chief seeks to reboot Paris-Kinshasa relations

DRC
Lack of dialogue between M23 and Kinshasa paralyses DRC peace process

Spotlight | DRC
Rubaya mine at heart of vast coltan trafficking network

DRC
UN report: experts again criticise Kigali's ongoing support for M23

DRC
Tshisekedi forced to reshuffle intelligence chiefs after ANR boss taken ill

DRC
Hush-hush talks to plan NIA boss's transfer abroad for medical treatment

Spotlight | DRC
Kinshasa in talks with CNOOC over Dan Gertler's former Lake Albert blocks

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Sarkozy due in Kinshasa to kick-start dialogue with Kagame

Spotlight | DRC
Tshisekedi weighs his military options against M23

Spotlight | DRC
Foreign private military contractors flood into North Kivu

DRC, Rwanda
DRC/Rwanda: latest UN report gets behind-the-scenes of the proxy war

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Kagame dispatches his spy masters to Kinshasa