According to a July 28, 2012, Radio Okapi article, "the administrator of Masisi announced this Saturday, July 28th, the defection of the commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 410th Regiment FARDC base Nabiondo, about thirty kilometers northwest of Goma in North Kivu. According to him, Colonel Eric Badege and more than a hundred soldiers headed Friday to Rubaya, 80 kilometers north of Nabiondo. This information has been confirmed by several sources."
As a military commander of M23, Badege is responsible for serious violations involving the targeting of children or women in situations of armed conflict. According to the November 2012 Group of Experts report, there have been several major incidents of indiscriminate killings of civilians, including women and children. Since May 2012 Raia Mutomboki, under the command of M23, have killed hundreds of civilians in a series of coordinated attacks. In August, Badege carried out joint attacks which involved the indiscriminate killing of civilians. The November Group of Experts report states that these attacks were jointly orchestrated by Badege and Colonel Makoma Semivumbi Jacques. According to the Group of Experts Report, local leaders from Masisi stated that Badege commanded these Raia Mutomboki attacks on the ground.
According to the November 2012 Group of Experts report, several ex-M23 combatants claim that M23 leaders summarily executed dozens of children who attempted to escape after being recruited as M23 child soldiers.