Lieutenant-Colonel Willy Ngoma, military spokesperson of the AFC/M23 rebel coalition, has been reported killed in a drone strike in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as conflicting claims and a disputed communiqué fuel uncertainty around official confirmation. Reports from international news agencies indicate that Lt. Col. Willy Ngoma, the military spokesperson of the Alliance Fleuve Congo/M23 (AFC/M23) rebel movement, was killed in a drone strike near Rubaya in North Kivu province. According to Reuters , the strike occurred near the strategic mining town of Rubaya, an area that has been a

Lieutenant-Colonel Willy Ngoma, military spokesperson of the AFC/M23 rebel coalition, has been reported killed in a drone strike in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as conflicting claims and a disputed communiqué fuel uncertainty around official confirmation.

Reports from international news agencies indicate that Lt. Col. Willy Ngoma, the military spokesperson of the Alliance Fleuve Congo/M23 (AFC/M23) rebel movement, was killed in a drone strike near Rubaya in North Kivu province.

According to Reuters, the strike occurred near the strategic mining town of Rubaya, an area that has been at the center of intense fighting between M23 rebels and Congolese government forces. Reuters cited security and rebel sources who confirmed Ngoma’s death following the attack.

Similarly, Associated Press (AP) reported that a senior M23 official acknowledged Ngoma’s death after initial uncertainty. The report described him as one of the movement’s most visible military voices during recent escalations in eastern DRC.

Following the reports, a communiqué began circulating on social media platforms purporting to be an official statement from AFC/M23 announcing Ngoma’s death and describing the circumstances as “tragic.”

However, questions emerged about the authenticity of some versions of the document.

The Agence Congolaise de Presse published a fact-check dismissing a separate viral message falsely attributed to CENCO (National Episcopal Conference of Congo). ACP stated that CENCO had not issued any statement regarding Ngoma’s death and described the circulating document as fabricated.

As of the latest reporting by Reuters and Associated Press, no independently verified, publicly accessible communiqué had been published on clearly authenticated AFC/M23 official platforms. Some media outlets reported that internal confirmations were made within the movement, but a universally verifiable official release remains unclear.

Rubaya, where the strike reportedly occurred, is a key coltan-mining hub in North Kivu. The area has significant strategic and economic importance in the ongoing conflict between M23 rebels and the Congolese army.

Ngoma had served as one of the most prominent spokespersons for the armed group, frequently issuing battlefield updates and political statements during renewed hostilities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

At the time of publication, the situation remains fluid, and official confirmation through verified AFC/M23 communication channels has not been conclusively established beyond statements quoted by international media.

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