As M23 rebel group advances in Congo, a new leader signals a shift in its identity

The M23 rebel group that is backed by Rwanda has emerged as a more potent force after being crushed during their first rebellion in 2012. The M23 rebels also have a new political leader, Corneille Nangaa, who was Congo's former election commissioner and oversaw a disputed election won by Congo's President Félix Tshisekedi. Analysts say he fell out with Congolese authorities over a dispute regarding a mining concession and over U.S. sanctions regarding electoral malpractice. After joining forces with M23 following his return from exile, analysts say Nangaa and M23 have become politically motivated with a national approach that goes beyond the ethnic issues that triggered their rebellion.