Rebel groups in the DRC are often the result of foreign support and act as proxies. In 2008 the UN Group of Experts on the DRC found evidence that the Kinshasa government was supporting Mai-Mai groups and the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda), an anti-Tutsi group who founded after the genocide, and Rwanda was backing the CNDP (National Conference for the Defense of the People) to fight the FDLR. A deal is struck and Nkunda, a main player in the CNDP, is placed under house arrest in Rwanda. Rwanda and the DRC work together to fight the FDLR. On March 23, 2009 an agreement that plans to integrate CNDP members into the army is signed.

 

What was meant to slowly dis-empower the high ranking members of the CNDP, actually strengthened them. The mutiny, led by former CNDP officials Ntaganda and Makenga, began in January of 2012 but initially failed. By May the group had established itself as the M23 rebellion, named after the failed agreement that incorporated the CNDP. M23 claims that the agreement was not upheld by the Congolese government and soldiers were not receiving pay. Other grievances listed are the idea that Kabila is not the legitimate president and the lack of development and infrastructure in the East.​

 

The UN Group of Experts on the DRC offered evidence that both Rwanda and to a lesser extent Uganda were providing support to M23. Because of this backing by Uganda, questions about the sincerity of the International Conference on the Great Lakes have been raised. The president of Uganda, Museveni, is the current head of the conference.

 

In February 2013 there was infighting in M23 between factions loyal to General Bosco Ntaganda and General Sultani Makenga. The two men have historically not gotten along well and there were tensions while they were in the CNDP together. More recently, a disagreement over promotions, dispute over looted goods in Goma, and the peace talks most likely led to the fighting. With the warrant by the ICC over Ntagandas head, he would have been worried of being sold out as part of the deal. When it appeared Ntaganda was loosing he turned himself into the ICC.

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