M23 Expels DRC Officer from Doha-Mandated Ceasefire Verification Mechanism

July 27, 2026 — M23 expelled a Congolese FARDC major from the Doha-mandated Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus (EJVM+), alleging he was not on the approved participant list and citing espionage concerns. DRC's defense ministry disputed the expulsion as without valid grounds. The friction coincided with continued fighting between M23-aligned Twirwaneho fighters and pro-government Wazalendo/FARDC forces near Minembwe and Bukavu, straining the verification architecture underpinning the Doha and Washington-brokered frameworks.