A military court in Walikale sentenced 66 DRC soldiers to death for abandoning their positions against the FRN. 4 acquitted, 1 jailed for 10 years.
Walikale, North Kivu – A military court sitting in Walikale-centre, in North Kivu province, has sentenced 66 soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) to death for cowardice, mutiny and disobeying orders.
The verdict was delivered on 6 November 2026 by the Goma Garrison Military Court after a 12-day trial involving 71 soldiers from the 3415th Regiment. Four soldiers were acquitted, while a sergeant was sentenced to 10 years in prison after being granted substantial mitigating circumstances.
The convicted soldiers had been arrested on 20 October 2026 in Ngora, in Walikale territory, after abandoning their positions in Ntonto during clashes with fighters of the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), the rebel coalition launched in Goma on 12 October 2026 that includes the M23 movement.
According to the Congolese News Agency (ACP), the military prosecutor had sought the death penalty for 70 of the 71 defendants. The court found that desertion in front of the enemy, refusal to obey orders and cowardice were proven for 66 of them.
Kinshasa’s Strategy to Restore Discipline
For the Congolese army, this trial is not an isolated case. It is part of a tough campaign to restore discipline in the ranks of the FARDC, as military operations in eastern DRC are regularly affected by unauthorized withdrawals, poor organization and logistical problems.
Last month, 27 other soldiers were also sentenced to death by a military court for similar offences, after withdrawing from frontline positions.
“This trial aims to strengthen discipline among troops fighting armed groups in the east,” military officials told Radio Okapi.
Since the lifting of the moratorium on the death penalty in March 2024, the DRC has increased capital punishment sentences against soldiers accused of treason, espionage or cowardice. According to data compiled by RFI, at least 507 soldiers have been convicted since the beginning of 2025, including 381 sentenced to death. No execution has been officially reported so far, as convicted soldiers can still appeal.
The FRN, a New Adversary for the FARDC
The Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN) has become the main adversary of the FARDC in eastern DRC. The coalition, presented by former President Joseph Kabila, brings together several armed movements including the M23 and the Congo River Alliance (AFC).
Since its launch, the FRN has said it wants to “refound” the Congolese state and challenges the legitimacy of President Félix Tshisekedi. Its fighters control part of North Kivu and South Kivu, where clashes with the Congolese army continue despite several ceasefire attempts.
It was in this context of military and political pressure that soldiers of the 3415th Regiment allegedly left their positions in Ntonto, a strategic village in Walikale territory.
A Deeper Malaise in the Army
Beyond the verdict, this trial highlights a deeper malaise within the FARDC. Several observers and human rights organizations point out that soldiers deployed on the frontline often lack food, ammunition, medical care and sometimes even regular salaries.
In some areas, funds intended for troops never reach their destination, according to NGO reports and testimonies from soldiers. This situation pushes some soldiers to abandon their posts or to loot the civilian populations they are supposed to protect.
For military analysts, the multiplication of death sentences will not be enough to solve these structural problems if the logistics chain and troop management are not reformed.
“You cannot ask soldiers to die for their country when they do not have enough to eat or to defend themselves,” said a security analyst based in Goma, speaking on condition of anonymity.
What Happens Next for the Convicted?
The 66 soldiers sentenced to death have a deadline to appeal the decision. In the DRC, death sentences handed down by military courts are often commuted to prison terms or are not carried out, due to the ongoing political debate on capital punishment.
Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have previously denounced the systematic use of the death penalty against soldiers, arguing that trials do not always guarantee a fair right to defence.
For its part, the Congolese government defends its position by saying that firmness is necessary to deter desertions and protect the country’s territorial integrity against a rebellion it describes as externally-supported aggression.
The next military trial in Walikale will be closely watched, as other soldiers arrested in recent weeks are still awaiting trial for similar offences.
