Thomas Lubanga, a convicted war criminal based in Uganda, has announced the creation of a new rebel movement aimed at overthrowing the government in Ituri province, further destabilizing eastern Congo.
Lubanga’s group, the Convention for the Popular Revolution (CPR), emerges as Congo’s army struggles against a major offensive by Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in the region. In written responses to Reuters, Lubanga claimed the CPR has both political and military wings, with armed fighters in three areas of Ituri. However, he stated that the group has not yet launched military operations.
Lubanga was the first person convicted by the International Criminal Court in 2012 for recruiting child soldiers and served a 14-year sentence before his release in 2020. Initially appointed by President Félix Tshisekedi to a peace task force in Ituri, Lubanga was later kidnapped for two months in 2022—a move he blames on the government. He is now based in Uganda.
The extent of his armed support remains unclear. U.N. experts previously accused Lubanga of mobilizing fighters for a local militia and M23 rebels. The Congolese presidency has not responded to requests for comment.
Ituri has long been plagued by violence from multiple armed groups. Last week, Doctors Without Borders reported a surge in attacks, with over 200 civilians killed and around 100,000 displaced since the start of the year. Meanwhile, Ugandan troops remain active in the province, supporting Congolese forces against the Islamic State-linked Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
