At least 507 soldiers of the Congolese forces (FARDC) have been tried and convicted in military tribunals since the beginning of 2025 over offences linked to their conduct in the war against AFC/M23 in eastern DR Congo.

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Up to 381 have been sentenced to death, while others received prison terms for offences including desertion, disobedience and cowardice in the face of the "enemy.”

The conflict escalated in January 2025, when AFC/M23 forces faced a coalition backing the Kinshasa government, comprising the FARDC, Southern African Development Community (SADC) forces, European mercenaries, the Kinshasa-backed FDLR genocidal militia, and local Mai-Mai and Wazalendo militias.

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The fighting saw AFC/M23 capture major cities, including Goma and Bukavu, as government forces and their allies surrendered or fled the battlefield. The military prosecutions have since targeted soldiers accused of abandoning frontline positions, fleeing clashes, deserting and disobeying orders during the war.

The latest convictions came on Friday, November 6, when a military court sentenced 66 FARDC soldiers to death in Walikale territory in North Kivu Province after accusing them of "cowardice in the face of the enemy,” "military mutiny” and "refusal to obey orders.”

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The case involved 71 soldiers tried before the Goma Garrison Military Court, which was sitting in Walikale. After a 12-day trial, a sergeant was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while four soldiers were acquitted.

According to the Congolese army, the case arose from incidents in Ntoto, where the soldiers were accused of abandoning their positions and fleeing during clashes with AFC/M23 forces, the precursor to the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), which is led by former Congolese President Joseph Kabila.

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The Walikale verdict adds to other military prosecutions conducted across the country. In Uvira, South Kivu Province, two trials resulted in 45 death sentences, while three officers in Beni were sentenced to death for desertion and violating military orders.

In Kisangani, 58 soldiers from the same regiment as those tried in Walikale received three-year prison sentences.

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In 2026 alone, at least 237 military personnel were convicted. 114 of them were sentenced to death. In 2025, two trials in Bukavu and Musienene resulted in 267 death sentences. In another case in Kinshasa, two army generals were sentenced to one year in prison for cowardice in the face of the enemy in connection with the fall of Goma.

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The FARDC has faced longstanding criticism over poor discipline and disorganisation, while soldiers have complained about inadequate pay and equipment. The army has said the prosecutions are intended to improve discipline among troops fighting armed groups in the east.