# AFC/M23 Rebels Build Parallel Administration in Eastern DRC After Capturing Goma and Bukavu

*Friday, September 4, 2026 at 6:10 AM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-09-04T06:10:26.351Z (4h ago)
**Category**: conflict | **Region**: Africa
**Importance**: 8/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/16778.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: Since capturing Goma in January 2025 and Bukavu in February 2025, the AFC/M23 coalition has moved to set up a parallel administration across areas it holds in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

The AFC/M23 rebel coalition is moving from battlefield operations to governance in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, consolidating control over major cities and surrounding areas through a parallel administration.

Since the fall of Goma in January 2025 and Bukavu in February 2025, AFC/M23 has gone beyond securing territory. According to The Africa Report, the coalition has begun setting up a governing structure in areas under its control, including appointments to administrative roles.

This shift from mobile armed group to local authority changes conditions for civilians living in AFC/M23-held zones. Day-to-day decisions on services and security increasingly flow through rebel-linked offices rather than state institutions based in Kinshasa.

For the central government, a rebel-built administration entrenched in major urban centers poses a challenge that is political and institutional as well as military. The longer these structures operate, the harder they may be to dislodge without a negotiated settlement or significant new force.

Key indicators to watch are whether Kinshasa and regional partners seek talks with AFC/M23, whether sanctions or diplomatic pressure are used against rebel leaders, and whether the parallel administration expands to additional areas or faces internal or local resistance.