M23 Rebel Group Spokesperson Willy Ngoma Killed in North Kivu Drone Strike

M23 rebel group spokesperson Willy Ngoma killed in North Kivu drone strike - M23 rebel group spokesperson Willy Ngoma. (Photo: X/Courtesy)

By Bashir Mbuthia

Tuesday, February 24, 2026

The 3:00 am strike reportedly occurred in Rubaya, North Kivu, a town crucial for its coltan mines that produce about 15 per cent of the global supply, Reuters reported, citing a senior rebel official.

The spokesperson for the M23 rebel group, Willy Ngoma, was killed in a drone strike by Congolese forces early on Tuesday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The 3:00 am strike reportedly occurred in Rubaya, North Kivu, a town crucial for its coltan mines that produce about 15 per cent of the global supply, Reuters reported, citing a senior rebel official. It reportedly followed several days of sustained drone operations in the area.

Ngoma’s death comes as Kinshasa and M23 continue to implement a Qatar-mediated ceasefire, establishing a joint monitoring and verification mechanism with observers from Qatar, the United States, and the African Union.

While the M23 group has not officially confirmed Ngoma’s passing, reports of the drone attacks correspond with statements from another M23 spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka, who confirmed the strikes in a statement on X.

“Since 2:43 a.m, drones from the coalition forces of the Kinshasa regime have been indiscriminately bombing the town of Rubaya, spreading terror and massacring innocent civilians,” he said.

Kanyuka likewise condemned the DRC government’s actions, accusing Kinshasa of deliberately targeting civilians. He added that similar drone strikes were launched in Kalehe.

“The Kinshasa regime has, once again, trampled the ceasefire underfoot. In flagrant violation of its commitments, it has unleashed a total war across all front lines and beyond. At precisely 07:00, its coalition forces launched savage and deliberate attacks against densely populated areas of Kitendebwa, Kashihe, and Kiduveri, in the territory of Kalehe,” he said.

“These criminal attacks, still ongoing, unequivocally demonstrate the Kinshasa regime's intent to sow terror, chaos, and death among civilian populations. The AFC/M23 calls upon the Congolese people as witnesses.”