Major General Sultani Makenga, Chief of Staff of the Congolese Revolutionary Army (ARC) and Military Coordinator of the AFC/M23, has presided over the pass-out of 1,518 commandos after successfully completing their training in Rumangabo, North Kivu Province.
The ceremony, held on Monday, March 2, 2026, took place at Rumangabo, a strategic military base in rebel-controlled territory. According to the movement, the graduates form part of the mobile special forces of the ARC.
Major General Makenga, who serves as the military commander of the March 23 Movement (M23), made his public appearance during the event, a week after the killing of the group’s military spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Willy Ngoma.
In a statement issued Tuesday, M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said the newly trained commandos were ready to take on their responsibilities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
“The commandos of the mobile special forces of the Congolese Revolutionary Army have reached the pinnacle of their training,” Kanyuka said, adding that they are prepared to “serve, defend and protect civilian populations.”
Addressing the troops at the closing ceremony, Makenga emphasized that their mission goes beyond combat duties.
“Being fully operational means more than mastering combat,” he said, according to the statement. “It means embracing the moral responsibility that comes with bearing arms. Defending a territory is defending a dignity.”
Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has experienced decades of armed conflict involving government forces and various armed groups competing for territory and influence. Renewed fighting involving M23 has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians and heightened regional tensions.
Makenga’s appearance alongside the newly trained commandos is seen as a move to demonstrate continuity within the rebel leadership and reinforce morale following Ngoma’s death.
