MARK BANCHEREAU
Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi accused former leader Joseph Kabila of backing a U.S.-sanctioned coalition of rebel groups during an interview with a private radio station on Tuesday.
“Joseph Kabila boycotted the election and is preparing an insurrection because he is the AFC,” Tshisekedi said, referring to the Alliance Fleuve Congo, a political-military movement launched in December with the aim of uniting armed groups, political parties and civil society against Congo’s government. He did not provide any evidence to support his claim.
Tshisekedi’s accusation follows the U.S. announcement of sanctions against the AFC last month. Washington accused the alliance of seeking to overthrow Congo’s government and fueling conflict in the east of the country. It said the main member of the alliance, the renowned rebel group M23, is already under U.S. sanctions.
Tshisekedi, along with U.S. and U.N. experts, accuse neighboring Rwanda of giving military backing to M23. Rwanda
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