Joseph Kabila returns as rebel leader, aligning with M23 against former ally Tshisekedi

Joseph Kabila, 55, has re-emerged as a rebel leader, heading the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN) and aligning with the M23 rebel alliance. This shift comes after he handed power to President Félix Tshisekedi in 2019. Kabila, who once led the rebel alliance that brought his father to power in 1997, now joins the M23, which seized eastern DR Congo including Goma and Bukavu last year. Despite facing a death sentence for treason in absentia and US sanctions for alleged M23 support, Kabila may seek political leverage through this alliance. His involvement raises questions about whether the conflict could spread beyond eastern DR Congo.