Laurent Nkunda (born November 2, 1967) is a former Congolese rebel leader who was active in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). He is most notably known for leading the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), a militant group that operated in the Kivu Provinces. Nkunda's insurgency was primarily driven by ethnic tensions and the struggle for control over the region's vast mineral resources. In Hebrew, Laurent Nkunda can be translated as לורן נקונדה. In French, his name remains the same as it is a French name. In Swahili, a widely spoken language in the DRC, he is known as Laurent Nkunda. Nkunda's actions significantly impacted the ongoing conflict in the DRC, contributing to the destabilization of the region and the displacement of thousands of civilians. He was arrested in Rwanda in 2009 and has since been in custody, awaiting trial for war crimes.