AFC/M23 Has No Formal Alliance with Thomas Lubanga’s CRP/FRP, UN Report Says

Kinshasa, July 11, 2026 - The political-military movement led by former Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga, the Convention for the People’s Revolution/Forces for the People’s Revolution (CRP/FRP), has not established any official cooperation with the AFC/M23 rebellion, despite publicly expressing support for the movement, according to recent assessments on the security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The CRP/FRP, created on January 10, 2025, continues to promote a political agenda centered on regional autonomy while maintaining an anti-government position, according to the latest analysis of armed groups operating in eastern DRC. Thomas Lubanga publicly announced his support for AFC/M23 on July 16, 2025, as part of an effort to align his movement with broader regional dynamics and avoid political isolation. However, no formal partnership between the two groups has been reported so far. The CRP/FRP leadership includes former military figures, political actors, and local personalities from Ituri province, with several members having previously lived in exile in Uganda. The movement is reportedly led militarily by Lobho Gokpa Justin, a former FARDC colonel. The group has experienced internal difficulties, including leadership defections that weakened its cohesion. Despite these challenges, its ranks reportedly expanded from an estimated 300 fighters in November 2025 to nearly 1,000 members by mid-2026. The movement has recruited fighters from different communities, including members of the Hema community and former members of the Zaire armed group. Recruitment efforts have also targeted internally displaced persons’ camps in Ituri and refugee camps in Uganda. Since January 2026, Innocent Kaina, a sanctioned former M23 figure, has reportedly collaborated with the CRP/FRP by helping recruit individuals from refugee communities in Uganda, including former M23 fighters. Despite these efforts, the movement has struggled to gain broad support among other armed groups and local communities in Ituri. Attempts by CRP/FRP leaders to mobilize young Lendu fighters reportedly produced limited results. The emergence of the CRP/FRP comes amid continued instability in Ituri, a province affected for years by armed violence, displacement, and inter-community tensions. The movement presents itself as an opposition force against what it describes as failures of state governance and insecurity affecting local populations. Thomas Lubanga, a former leader of the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC), was convicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2012 for the war crime of recruiting and using children under the age of 15 in armed conflict. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison and released in 2020 after serving his sentence. Following his release, Lubanga participated in government-backed peace initiatives in Ituri aimed at encouraging communities to reject armed groups. However, those efforts did not produce the expected results, while his later political activities remained controversial. The current evolution of the CRP/FRP adds another layer of complexity to the already fragmented security landscape in eastern DRC, where numerous armed movements continue to compete for influence, territory, and political legitimacy.