Congo

Heartbroken after his team’s loss to Algeria, Mboladinga won over fans and left a lasting impact on the tournament.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo have exited the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 after a heartbreaking extra-time loss to Algeria, but their most famous supporter has made a lasting impact on football fans and players.

Michel Nkuka Mboladinga, who became an instant fan favourite and social media star for his unique tribute to his nation’s hero Patrice Lumumba, bid farewell to AFCON after a meeting with the Algerian team at their hotel on Wednesday.

Dressed sharply in bright-coloured suits, Mboladinga stood out among the thousands of DR Congo fans by standing still with his right arm raised during all of his team’s games at the tournament.

“The fan who went viral for standing motionless through the full match becomes an AFCON symbol of pride, memory, and resilience,” a fan wrote in a tribute on X.

At the beginning of every match, Mboladinga would step on his pedestal and hold the pose, emulating a memorial statue of Lumumba in Kinshasa, DR Congo.

But when his team were knocked out of the tournament by Algeria with a 119th-minute goal from Adil Boulbina, he was left devastated.

Nicknamed Lumumba Vea by Congolese supporters, Mboladinga took off his glasses, wiped away his tears and, in his final act, fell back into the crowd at the end of his team’s last-16 tie.

To add insult to injury, Mboladinga was apparently mocked by Algerian player Mohamed Amoura, who ran to the Congolese end, mimicked the fan’s pose and fell to the ground in celebration.

Amoura’s gesture was widely criticised on social media, with fans calling for him to apologise to Mboladinga and the Congolese nation.

“He [Mboladinga] is bringing visibility to a historic figure who fought for Congo’s independence and stood in solidarity with the Algerian revolution against occupation,” wrote sports journalist Leyla Hamed.

The Algerian forward later posted an apology on social media, saying he wasn’t aware of the meaning and history of the gesture of the DR Congo fan.

“I simply wanted to tease, in a good-natured way, without any ill intent,” he wrote.

“I respect Congo and its team.”

In order to make further amends, the Algerian Football Association invited Mboladinga to the team’s hotel on Wednesday. He met with the players and was given a personalised Algerian team shirt with Lumumba emblazoned on the back.

DR Congo are ranked 56th in FIFA’s world rankings and have a shot at qualifying for the World Cup 2026 by booking a spot in the inter-confederation playoff final on March 31.

Senegal beat Benin 3-0 to top AFCON 2025 group, while DR Congo beat Botswana, setting up a mouth-watering Algeria tie.

Senegal saw off Benin on Tuesday to go through to the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations as winners of Group D, leaving the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to settle for second place, which means they will play Algeria in a heavyweight tie in the next round.

Sadio Mane’s Senegal, the 2022 African champions, came into the final round of group games needing to beat Benin in Tangier, and hope their Congolese rivals have not managed to move above them on goal difference.

Senegal ran out 3-0 winners against Benin, with Abdoulaye Seck and Habib Diallo scoring before skipper Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off in the second half. Cherif Ndiaye then added a late penalty.

The DRC beat the already-eliminated Botswana 3-0 at the same time in Rabat, meaning the leading duo both finished with seven points from three games, but Pape Thiaw’s Senegal topped the section by a difference of two goals.

As a result, Senegal have a far kinder path in the knockout phase and will remain in Tangier for a last-16 tie on Saturday against the third-place finisher in Group E.

That will be either Burkina Faso or Sudan, who play each other in Casablanca on Wednesday.

The Leopards, in contrast, must play the 2019 champions Algeria in the last 16 next Tuesday, with the winner of that potentially having to face Nigeria in the quarterfinals.

Benin’s three points, courtesy of a solitary 1-0 win over Botswana, are enough for them to go through as one of the best third-placed teams.

It will be just their second appearance in the AFCON knockout stages, and their reward is a meeting with Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in Agadir on Monday.

Israel-based centre-back Seck headed Senegal into the lead from Krepin Diatta’s free kick on 38 minutes, and their second goal arrived just after the hour, when a superb cutback by Mane was turned in by Diallo.

Skipper Koulibaly was then sent off after a yellow card was upgraded to red following a VAR review, leaving the Lions of Teranga to play out the final 19 minutes plus stoppage time a man down.

Ndiaye’s 97th-minute penalty made it 3-0 and ended any doubt about Senegal’s final position in the group.

Playmaker Gael Kakuta, once of Chelsea and now playing in Turkiye, was in outstanding form for the DRC against Botswana at Al Medina Stadium, as his back heel set up Nathanael Mbuku for the opener.

Kakuta then converted a penalty shortly before half-time and got his second and his team’s third on the hour mark from Theo Bongonda’s assist.

Another goal at that point could have left the DRC and Senegal with identical records and facing a possible drawing of lots to determine their final group positions.

The DRC thought they had it when Fiston Mayele put the ball in the net on 64 minutes.

On Dec. 17, the M23/AFC rebels announced their withdrawal from Uvira, a city in the South Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),  due to pressure from the United States. The rebel group has, however, failed to keep its promise to restore peace in Uvira, thereby worsening the security and humanitarian situation throughout South Kivu Province.

Fighting has since persisted between the M23 rebels and the Congolese armed forces, known as FARDC.

Amid shrinking funding, partly due to new American foreign policies, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) reports that armed groups are looting health and educational facilities in the troubled region.

“Since the announcement of the withdrawal by the M23 from the town of Uvira on Dec. 17, the security situation remains extremely precarious in the localities neighbouring and along the Uvira-Fizi highway. Armed violence continues, provoking continued displacements. Meanwhile, looting targeting notably educational and health structures has been reported, thus compromising access to health and education by thousands of persons. This persistent insecurity continues while the territories of Fizi and Uvira are already faced with increasing cases of cholera,” the UNOCHA office in DR Congo noted.

The UN agency, which is responsible for coordinating response to global humanitarian crises, natural disasters, and conflicts, added that a climate of unrest continues in these areas. Local humanitarian sources indicate that at least seven healthcare facilities in the Ruzizi health zone of Uvira territory and the Fizi health zone of Fizi territory have been looted and vandalised. Eight primary schools supported by the World Food Programme (WFP) have also been affected. This situation significantly limits access to medical care and disrupts children’s education.

The invasion of the Uvira town by M23/AFC rebels has elicited strong reactions from the international community, particularly aimed at Rwanda. The US declared on Dec. 13 that Rwanda has failed to uphold its commitments made under the Washington Accord, which was concluded between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, with the participation of various regional heads of state and representatives from the African Union.

Facing international pressure, the M23/AFC rebels declared their intention to withdraw from Uvira to aid the peace process. This statement was released in a communiqué signed by Corneille Nangaa, the political coordinator of the rebel movement. However, a few days later, the American representative to the UN Security Council reiterated the call for the rebels to retreat at least 75 kilometres from Uvira, which they have yet to do.

A DR Congo fan known as ‘Lumumba’ stood motionless in the stands for the entire match against Senegal at AFCON on Saturday, mirroring a statue of the country’s independence leader.

Sadio Mane’s equaliser earned 2022 champions Senegal a 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in their heavyweight Africa Cup of Nations clash on Saturday.

Cedric Bakambu had given the Leopards the lead just after the hour mark in Tangier, but Al-Nassr forward Mane replied soon after, and the result ensures Senegal stay on top of Group D with one round of matches still to play.

Both teams have four points, but Senegal have a superior goal difference before their final group match against Benin on Tuesday.

Benin have three points after a 1-0 victory earlier Saturday in Rabat against Botswana, who are bottom without a point or goal scored.

Sebastien Desabre’s Congolese side were seeking revenge after a dramatic defeat in the last meeting of the nations, in World Cup qualifying in September.

Senegal came from 2-0 down to win that encounter 3-2 in Kinshasa, a result which allowed them to go on and top their group to secure a place at next year’s finals in North America.

DRC were therefore forced to settle for second place, but can still make the World Cup if they win a one-off playoff against either New Caledonia or Jamaica in Mexico in March.

Senegal, fresh from beating Botswana 3-0 and seen as perhaps the biggest threat to Morocco’s chances of winning the title on home soil, had more of the possession and more chances on the day.

However, the Leopards took the lead in the 61st minute when Theo Bongonda – scorer of the only goal in their opening win against Benin – had a shot at the end of a fine move parried by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, and Real Betis striker Bakambu pounced to convert the loose ball.

But Senegal were only behind for eight minutes, their equaliser coming after a superb run by teenage substitute Ibrahim Mbaye.

The 17-year-old Paris Saint-Germain winger Mbaye, who was born in France and represented them up to Under-20 level, recently committed his international future to Senegal, for whom he qualifies through one of his parents.

He replaced Ismaila Sarr just after Bakambu’s opener, and made the leveller from a penetrating run down the right.

Mbaye burst away from Arthur Masuaku, who appeared to injure himself going to tackle, and then saw his shot blocked by Lionel Mpasi, but Mane was on hand to score.

It was a 10th AFCON goal for former Liverpool superstar Mane, who is appearing at his sixth tournament.

Benin record first AFCON win in their history

Yohan Roche ‌scored a deflected winner as Benin claimed a first-ever victory ‍at the Africa ‍Cup of Nations finals, with a 1-0 Group D success against Botswana in Rabat on Saturday.

Benin move to three points from their opening two games, level with Senegal and the DRC in the table, who meet in their second pool fixture ​in Tangier later on Saturday.

Benin took the lead in ‍the 28th minute when Roche played a one-two in the box with captain Steve Mounie, and his shot from 9 metres (10 yards) took a wicked deflection off a defender ‍and into ⁠the net.

Benin finally celebrated a victory at the continental finals on the 16th attempt, following their debut in 2004, and despite the fact that they were quarterfinalists in 2019. They also have five draws to go with 10 defeats.

Botswana offered little going forward, though Mothusi Johnson struck the crossbar with a curling free-kick that ​beat the goalkeeper but not the frame of the ‌goal.

Benin had several chances to add to their score, though Botswana goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko made an excellent low stop to deny Tamimou Ouorou.

Dodo Dokou then worked an excellent shooting ‌chance 11 metres (12 yards) from goal in added time at the end of the game, but fired over ‌the bar with the goal gaping.

Botswana become ⁠the second team, after Benin, to lose their first five Cup of Nations matches after three defeats on debut in 2012 and an opening 3-0 loss to Senegal this year.

They ‌meet DRC in their final pool game on Tuesday, while Benin face Senegal at the same time.

The top two teams in each pool, ‍as well as the four best third-placed sides across the six groups, qualify for the Round of 16.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has condemned Rwanda for backing a rebel offensive in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and urged it to withdraw its forces and stop supporting the M23 armed group.

The UNSC unanimously adopted the resolution on Friday, and also extended the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, for a year. This came despite Rwanda’s repeated denials – contrary to overwhelming evidence – of involvement in a conflict that has intensified as a United States-brokered peace deal unravels.

The UNSC said M23’s seizure of the strategic city of Uvira “risks destabilizing the whole region, gravely endangers civilian populations and imperils ongoing peace efforts”.

“M23 must immediately withdraw at least 75km (47 miles) from Uvira and return to compliance with all of its obligations undertaken in the Framework Agreement,” said Jennifer Locetta, a US representative to the UN.

M23 captured Uvira in the South Kivu Province on December 10, less than a week after the DRC and Rwandan presidents met US President Donald Trump in Washington and committed to a peace agreement.

“It is an amazing day: great day for Africa, great day for the world and for these two countries. And they have so much to be proud of,” Trump crowed, as fighting quickly undermined the White House spectacle.

One Uvira resident, Feza Mariam, told Al Jazeera in recent days: “We don’t know anything about the political process they are talking about.

“The only thing we need is peace. Anyone able to provide us with peace is welcome here. For the rest, we as citizens, we don’t care about it.”

The M23 group claimed on Wednesday it was withdrawing from the city following international backlash, but the DRC government dismissed this as a “staged” pullback, saying M23 forces remain deployed there.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged on Friday that commitments under the Washington accord were “not being met” but said his government had now signed agreements it could “hold people to”.

The US earlier warned it would use available tools against those undermining the peace deal, with US officials estimating between 5,000 and 7,000 Rwandan soldiers were operating in eastern DRC as of early December.

The US had previously sanctioned Rwandan cabinet ministers earlier this year, and the DRC later led calls to expand those sanctions after the seizure of Uvira.

The fighting has triggered a major humanitarian emergency, with more than 84,000 people fleeing into Burundi since early December, according to the UN refugee agency, which said the country has reached a “critical point” as refugees arrive exhausted and traumatised. They join approximately 200,000 others who had already sought refuge in the country.

Regional officials say more than 400 civilians have been killed in recent violence in the city.

The seizure of Uvira, located directly across Lake Tanganyika from Burundi’s largest city, Bujumbura, has raised fears of broader regional spillover. The city was the last major foothold in South Kivu for the DRC government and the Wazalendo, which are DRC-allied militias, after M23 captured the provincial capital, Bukavu, in February.

Rwanda has consistently denied backing M23, despite assessments by UN experts and the international community. In a February interview with CNN, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said he did not know whether his country’s troops were in the DRC, despite being commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Rwanda implicitly acknowledged a presence in eastern DRC in February 2024, when it rejected a US call to withdraw troops and surface-to-air missile systems, saying it had adjusted its posture for self-defence.

Rwanda maintains that its security concerns are driven by the presence of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a militia composed largely of Hutus who fled to the DRC after participating in the 1994 genocide that killed approximately 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

Kigali views the group as an existential threat and accuses the DRC government of supporting it.

The broader conflict in the mineral-rich eastern DRC, where more than 100 armed groups operate, has displaced more than seven million people, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

UN refugee agency says women and children arriving ‘exhausted and severely traumatised’ after fleeing eastern DRC.

More than 84,000 people have fled to Burundi from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) amid a Rwanda-backed rebel offensive near the countries’ shared border, according to the latest United Nations figures.

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday that Burundi had reached a “critical point” amid the influx of refugees and asylum seekers fleeing a surge in violence in the DRC’s South Kivu province.

“Thousands of people crossing the border on foot and by boats each day have overwhelmed local resources, creating a major humanitarian emergency that requires immediate global support,” UNHCR said, noting that more than 200,000 people had now sought refuge in Burundi.

“Women and children are particularly affected, arriving exhausted and severely traumatised, bearing the physical and psychological marks of terrifying violence. Our teams met pregnant women, who shared that they had not eaten in days.”

The exodus began in early December when the M23 rebel group launched an assault that culminated in the capture of Uvira, a strategic city in the eastern DRC that is home to hundreds of thousands of people.

Refugees started crossing into Burundi on December 5, with numbers surging after M23 seized control of Uvira on December 10. On Wednesday, M23 said it was withdrawing after international condemnation of its attack on the city.

In Burundi, displaced families face difficult conditions at transit points and makeshift camps with minimal infrastructure, the UN said.

Many have sheltered under trees without adequate protection from the elements, and a lack of clean water and proper sanitation.

About half of those displaced are children less than the age of 18, along with numerous women, including some who are pregnant.

Ezechiel Nibigira, the Burundian president of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), reported 25,000 refugees in Gatumba in western Burundi, and nearly 40,000 in Buganda in the northwest, most of them “completely destitute”.

Augustin Minani, the administrator in Rumonge, told the AFP news agency that the situation was “catastrophic” and said “the vast majority are dying of hunger.”

Refugees recounted witnessing bombings and artillery fire, with some seeing relatives killed and others forced to abandon elderly family members who could not continue the journey.

M23 withdrawal

M23 announced earlier this week it would begin withdrawing from Uvira, with the group’s leadership calling the move a “trust-building measure” to support United States- and Qatari-led peace efforts.

However, the Congolese Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya dismissed the announcement as a “diversion”, alleging it was meant to relieve pressure on Rwanda.

Local sources reported that M23 police and intelligence personnel remained deployed in the city on Thursday.

The offensive extended M23’s territorial gains this year after the group captured the major cities of Goma in January and Bukavu in February.

The rebel advance has given M23 control over substantial territory in the mineral-rich eastern DRC and severed a critical supply route for Congolese forces along the border with Burundi.

M23 launched the Uvira offensive less than a week after the presidents of the DRC and Rwanda met with US President Donald Trump in Washington, DC, to reaffirm their commitment to a peace agreement.

The rebels’ takeover of the city drew sharp criticism from Washington, with officials warning of consequences for what they described as Rwanda’s violation of the accord. Rwanda denies backing M23.

The fighting has killed more than 400 civilians in the DRC and displaced more than 200,000 since early December, according to regional officials and humanitarian organisations.

The broader conflict across the eastern part of the country, where more than 100 armed groups operate, has displaced more than seven million people, the UN refugee agency says.

Human Rights Watch, an international non-governmental organisation,  has raised concerns over the dire humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, following the capture of Uvira town by M23/AFC rebels.

In a statement released on Monday, Dec. 15, Human Rights Watch reported that the offensive launched by M23/AFC, with support from Rwanda in Uvira and the surrounding areas, has resulted in a significant displacement of populations. It stated that access to humanitarian assistance has been severely diminished.

According to figures from the United Nations, approximately 200,000 people have fled the fighting, including over 30,000 who have crossed the border into Burundi. Congolese refugees arriving in Burundi have informed UN officials that they are receiving little to no humanitarian assistance. Human Rights Watch reports that local hospitals and health centres are overwhelmed amid a decline in humanitarian aid due to limited access and financial resources.

The organisation emphasises the suspension of food assistance in the province, stating that the UN World Food Programme has halted its support throughout South Kivu, worsening the living conditions of displaced populations still in areas affected by conflict. They are urging all forces present on the ground to ensure humanitarian access and the protection of civilians. In particular, they demand that the Rwandan authorities and the M23 guarantee access to essential items for the population’s survival, including water, food, and medicine.

Human Rights Watch states that the lack of progress in humanitarian aid, despite recent diplomatic efforts, is concerning.

“The Washington Accords dealing with the situation in the Eastern DR Congo have not permitted improved security nor better access to aid for the civilians near Uvira in South Kivu,” said Clementine de Montjoye, Human Rights Watch’s principal researcher for the Great Lakes region.

While humanitarian needs are rapidly increasing, Human Rights Watch exhorts its international partners to act quickly.

 “The situation faced by civilians in South Kivu is more and more perilous, and the humanitarian needs are considerable,”  the non-governmental organisation said, calling for an urgent reinforcement of assistance and the adequate protection of civilian populations.

For over a month, schools in Vikindwe, a locality 10 kilometres from Musienene in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, have been closed due to the activities of the Wazalendo militia group. The primary schools in Vikindwe and Vuketi, along with the Viseya Institute, have been particularly affected by this educational disruption.

According to Kakule Syanghuswa Arsen, the headmaster of Vikindwe Primary School, events began to escalate in February this year when members of the Wazalendo militia assaulted a student from the school. This incident created tension between the militia and the local community. Following this, there were death threats directed at specific individuals in the area, as well as sporadic gunfire during school hours, severely disrupting the teaching and learning process.

Since October, the situation has become so tense that some students have experienced convulsions. The headmaster has now urged the authorities in the education sector to intervene with the provincial governor, hoping to have the Wazalendo militia removed from Vikindwe to restore normalcy.

In a related development, the resumption of classes in Njiapanda, as requested by the sub-provincial education committee, has been relatively cautious. This tentative return to classes comes three weeks after classes were suspended at the request of civil society organisations in Manguredjipa.

On  Monday, Dec. 15, only a few students were present in several schools in the area. In Kambau, Mbunia Kisenge, the headmaster of a secondary school, reported that no students were attending school. He attributed this situation to the concerns and fears of parents regarding the security situation within the Bapakombe tribal group, which has been marked by repeated attacks on the population by fighters from the Union of Patriots for the Liberation of Congo (UPLC).

In Njiapanda, some schools located in the centre of town have cautiously resumed operations. However, schools on the outskirts have reported a high rate of student absences, even though several teachers are present in the classrooms. Only the final year students are attending school.

Militia members associated with the Wazalendo are frequently accused of various abuses against civilians in Musienene and Baszagha. The main complaints from the people include looting, rape, arbitrary arrests, illegal tax collection, and the establishment of unauthorised roadblocks.

On Nov. 12, a young student was killed by gunshots during clashes between two factions of the Wazalendo militia at the Musimba market. Although these groups are considered allies of the Congolese army in its fight against Rwandan aggression, particularly in the conflict with the M23/AFC rebels, they are frequently accused of serious human rights abuses. Because they operate without proper oversight and often follow distinct commands, they frequently evade the attention of local authorities.