United Nations Imposes Sanctions on M23 Leader Major Willy Ngoma and ADF Commanders for Atrocities in Congo
In a decisive move, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has imposed sanctions on Major Willy Ngoma, the spokesperson for the M23 rebel group, alongside leaders from various armed factions, in response to their involvement in egregious crimes within the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Issuing a statement late Tuesday, the Council identified Ngoma as a key figure among leaders of Congolese militias, some of which receive foreign support, obstructing efforts to disarm, demobilize, and reintegrate their fighters.
This decision follows directives from regional leaders in Luanda and Nairobi in 2022, which called for the disarmament of M23 rebels—a call that has notably been disregarded.
The M23 group, believed to be supported by Rwanda, has engaged in conflict with Congolese forces aiming to seize control of the strategic location of Sake near Goma, exacerbating the region’s instability.
UN Special Representative Bintou Keita highlighted the dire situation during a briefing to the Security Council in New York, focusing on the humanitarian crisis in Goma. She reported that displacement camps in and around Goma are facing severe overcrowding, with over 400,000 displaced individuals seeking refuge in the city, including 65,000 in the recent fortnight alone. This influx has significantly heightened the risk of cholera, attributed to inadequate access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities.
The situation has deteriorated rapidly following the lapse of a ceasefire agreement in December, with Sake and the provincial capital, Goma, becoming focal points of concern due to escalated hostilities.
Recent weeks have seen an intensification of conflicts and an expansion of M23 operations further south, prompting increased displacement towards Goma and into the neighboring South Kivu province, and raising alarms over the escalating humanitarian and security crisis in the region.
