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Sultani Makenga

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Sultani Makenga
Sultani Makenga, lead the March 12 movement, in an interview
Sultani Makenga, pictured wearing his "emblematic" cap,[1] in 2013
Born (1973-12-25) December 25, 1973 (age 50)
Rutshuru, North Kivu, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo)[2]
NationalityCongolese
Years active1990–present

General Sultani Makenga (born 25 December 1973 in Rutshuru, DRC Congo) is a Congolese rebel leader and the military chief[3] of the March 23 Movement (M23), a revolutionary group based in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Makenga is an ethnic Tutsi and was raised in North Kivu.[1] He fought for the Rwandan Patriotic Front during the Rwandan Civil War.[1]

Earlier history

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Sultani joined the Rwandan Patriotic Front in 1990 and fought in the Rwandan civil war. Sultani was involved in several other Congolese conflicts including the First Congo War and the National Congress for the Defence of the People rebellion.

M23 rebellions (2012-present)

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See also: M23 rebellion

Sanctions were introduced against him by the United Nations Security Council in November 2012.[4] This was quickly followed by further sanctions from the United States for recruiting of child soldiers.[5][6] He has denied that M23 used child soldiers, characterizing the accusations from those such as Human Rights Watch as propaganda.[2] He has denied accusations that the M23 rebellion is backed by Rwanda.[4] His faction of the M23 have clashed with those loyal to its political leader, Jean-Marie Runiga Lugerero.[3] In May 2013, the M23 clashed with FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and there were rumors[according to whom?] that Makenga was badly wounded.

On November 7, 2013, after the M23 was defeated by the FARDC backed by the UN FIB (Force Intervention Brigade), Makenga surrendered with hundreds of M23 fighters in Mgahinga National Park, Uganda.[7][8] He and his troops are held in a secret location.[7]

In November 2016, Sultani left a demobilization camp in Uganda, and his whereabouts became unknown.[9] In early 2017, he tried to restart a guerilla war in the DRC with 200 men. He suceeded and some of his militants were even hired by the Ugandan government to crush protests.[10]

According to a 2024 report from the UN group of experts, Sultani was traveling to Uganda and received active support for the M23 from the Ugandan military.[11] In August 2024, Sultani was sentenced to death in absentia by a Congolese military court.[12][13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Profile: Sultani Makenga, DR Congo's M23 leader". BBC News. 7 November 2013. Archived from the original on 29 August 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b African, New (2013-02-15). "Makenga: 'In Brief, My Life Is War'". New African Magazine. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  3. ^ a b "DR Congo: M23's Makenga and Runiga factions 'clash'". bbcnews.com. 25 February 2013. Archived from the original on 28 February 2013. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
  4. ^ a b "DR Congo's M23 rebels threaten to march to Kinshasa". bbcnews.com. 2012-11-21. Archived from the original on 2012-11-21. Retrieved 2012-11-21.
  5. ^ "DR Congo: US sanctions M23 rebel leader Sultani Makenga". BBC News. 2012-11-14. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  6. ^ "Treasury Designates Congolese Militant Leader". U.S. Department of the Treasury. 2012-06-19. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  7. ^ a b "DR Congo's M23 rebel chief Sultani Makenga 'surrenders'". BBC News. 7 November 2013. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  8. ^ Smith, David (7 November 2013). "Defeated Congolese rebel leader captured in Uganda, officials say". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  9. ^ Bavier, Joe (2016-11-13). "Ex-Congo rebel leader missing, gunfire erupts in border town". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  10. ^ "RDC : que devient Sultani Makenga, l'ancien chef rebelle du M23 ?". Jeune Afrique (in French). 10 September 2018. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  11. ^ Rolley, Sonia (2024-07-08). "Uganda provided support to M23 rebels in Congo, UN report says". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  12. ^ "DR Congo military court sentences 26 armed group members to death". Al Jazeera. 2024-08-09. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  13. ^ Ilunga, Patrick (2024-08-08). "DRC military court sentences Nangaa, M23 leaders to hang". The East African. Retrieved 2024-09-02.


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