General Ntaganda and loyalists desert Armed Forces

On April 4, 2012, General Bosco Ntaganda, a prominent military figure in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), defected from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) along with his loyalists. Ntaganda, who was already wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes, initiated a mutiny against the government forces. This act of desertion led to the formation of a new rebel group known as the March 23 Movement (M23). The M23 quickly seized control of several towns and territories in the North Kivu province, exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation in the region. The conflict resulted in widespread displacement and suffering among civilians, highlighting the ongoing challenges of integrating former rebel groups into the national army and the quest for lasting peace in the DRC. The events of 2012 underscored the fragility of the peace process in the eastern DRC and the complexities involved in addressing the root causes of conflict in the region.