Young women in DR Congo are actively participating in the fight against the M23 rebels, taking on significant roles in the conflict and asserting their presence on the front lines.

Marie Byamwungu, in Goma of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, adjusts her camouflage shirt with sleeves too long for her slender frame. The military attire seems more like a costume than clothing fit for purpose.

However, a wry smile graces her lips when the 20-year-old recounts intense clashes between the militia group she belongs to and M23 insurgents. For security reasons, we have chosen not to disclose her real name. The ongoing insurgency is taking place in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Sitting in a paramilitary base about 1.9 miles north of Goma’s city, she proudly declares that despite witnessing intense conflict, she can still continue to fight.

In a shaded area behind her, several young men recline while nonchalantly holding assault rifles across their laps and exchanging boisterous banter.

The Wazalendo, which means “patriots” in Kiswahili, is a group of local self-defence forces that have armed themselves to protect their communities from M23 attacks.

In 2012, M23 was formed by ex-soldiers who staged a mutiny against the Congolese army. Recently in early 2022, they reemerged with heightened military operations.

As a result of the M23 uprising, violence and displacement have resurfaced. In Eastern DRC, approximately 1.7 million individuals were compelled to vacate their homes while residing in vulnerable plastic sheeting and delicate wooden make-shift structures located precariously at North Kivu province’s city outskirts.

The United Nations Group of Experts and the United States Department of State assert that M23 enjoys support from Rwanda and Uganda. The UN experts have further alleged Rwandan troop presence in numbers ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 fighting along with the rebels at par strength. Despite this evidence against them, both countries continue to deny any involvement or backing towards the M23 uprising.

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During November 2022, President Felix Tshisekedi of Congo urged the youth to either independently acquire weapons or join Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) for combating M23.

In a national television broadcast, the president urged them to form vigilance groups with the aim of bolstering, accompanying and providing support for our armed forces.

According to Human Rights Watch, leaders of various infamous armed groups held a covert meeting in the isolated town of Pinga. They signed a non-aggression pact and joined forces with FARDC against M23. As per a government decree made in September 2023, militias were given legal recognition within the national army thereafter.

The Wazalendo coalition has now expanded to include newly emerged rebel groups and veteran fighters who have fought in all the successive conflicts that have plagued DRC for the past thirty years. This is happening amidst intense turmoil, with over a hundred armed factions vying for control of the region.

According to both the Wazalendo and FARDC, they are allies in combatting M23. The Wazalendo frequently lead the charge into battle with militia units while the military forces of FARDC provide support from behind.

Judith Verweijen, who is an assistant professor at Utrecht University and conducts research on militarization in Congo, offers a straightforward assessment of the situation. “The armed groups have essentially been granted carte blanche by the FARDC to act however they choose,” she stated.