Article text:
M23 rebels brutalized at least 140 civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last month, marking one of the most egregious acts by the revived militant group since late 2021, a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report reveals. This violence unfolded despite ongoing peace negotiations facilitated by the United States and Qatar.
Survivor accounts shared with HRW detailed horrific "summary executions" carried out by the Rwanda-supported M23 rebels, targeting local populations, particularly women and children, in the Rutshuru region adjacent to Virunga National Park. As tensions escalate, the rebels have staunchly rejected these serious allegations, labeling them a "blatant misrepresentation of the facts." The group did not provide a comment for the report.
The alleged massacre coincided with the M23's military focus on the armed Hutu group, FDLR, formed by perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. HRW has indicated that total deaths in July could exceed 300, corroborating previous UN findings. Fighting surged in January after M23 captured significant territories in eastern DR Congo, including the regional capital, Goma, leading to thousands of fatalities and the displacement of hundreds of thousands.
Witnesses recounted that vicious assaults were executed using firearms and machetes in at least 14 villages from July 10 to 30. "We woke up on 11 July and [the M23] were there in large numbers," one witness reported, explaining the grim sight of M23 fighters at their doorstep. Another survivor recounted watching M23 fighters murder her husband, recalling how 70 women and children were rounded up, ordered to sit by the riverbank, and were subsequently shot at.
The ongoing violence obstructs families from conducting proper funerals, with reports stating that M23 fighters instructed villagers to bury their loved ones or leave remains unburied. Bodies were even discarded into the Rutshuru River. Drawing from 25 witness interviews, along with input from medical personnel and military sources, HRW claimed that Rwandan Defense Force members were backing M23's activities.
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights echoed these claims, estimating that Rwandan forces had aided in the murder of at least 319 individuals within the same timeframe. Rwanda has denied supporting the M23 and criticized the UN's allegations, insisting that such statements threaten the integrity of peace initiatives.
Peace efforts have been deeply hindered, as Rwanda and DR Congo have engaged in discussions to neutralize the FDLR but progress remains obstructed. Although the M23 and the DR Congo government had established a ceasefire agreement, there was a recent withdrawal from peace discussions by the M23, citing unmet commitments from Kinshasa.
As the Congolese army continues to accuse M23 of breaching the ceasefire, HRW has called on the UN Security Council, European Union, and other governments to condemn the atrocities in eastern DR Congo, impose sanctions on accountable parties, and seek prosecution for those implicated in these grave human rights violations.
M23 rebels brutalized at least 140 civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last month, marking one of the most egregious acts by the revived militant group since late 2021, a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report reveals. This violence unfolded despite ongoing peace negotiations facilitated by the United States and Qatar.
Survivor accounts shared with HRW detailed horrific "summary executions" carried out by the Rwanda-supported M23 rebels, targeting local populations, particularly women and children, in the Rutshuru region adjacent to Virunga National Park. As tensions escalate, the rebels have staunchly rejected these serious allegations, labeling them a "blatant misrepresentation of the facts." The group did not provide a comment for the report.
The alleged massacre coincided with the M23's military focus on the armed Hutu group, FDLR, formed by perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. HRW has indicated that total deaths in July could exceed 300, corroborating previous UN findings. Fighting surged in January after M23 captured significant territories in eastern DR Congo, including the regional capital, Goma, leading to thousands of fatalities and the displacement of hundreds of thousands.
Witnesses recounted that vicious assaults were executed using firearms and machetes in at least 14 villages from July 10 to 30. "We woke up on 11 July and [the M23] were there in large numbers," one witness reported, explaining the grim sight of M23 fighters at their doorstep. Another survivor recounted watching M23 fighters murder her husband, recalling how 70 women and children were rounded up, ordered to sit by the riverbank, and were subsequently shot at.
The ongoing violence obstructs families from conducting proper funerals, with reports stating that M23 fighters instructed villagers to bury their loved ones or leave remains unburied. Bodies were even discarded into the Rutshuru River. Drawing from 25 witness interviews, along with input from medical personnel and military sources, HRW claimed that Rwandan Defense Force members were backing M23's activities.
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights echoed these claims, estimating that Rwandan forces had aided in the murder of at least 319 individuals within the same timeframe. Rwanda has denied supporting the M23 and criticized the UN's allegations, insisting that such statements threaten the integrity of peace initiatives.
Peace efforts have been deeply hindered, as Rwanda and DR Congo have engaged in discussions to neutralize the FDLR but progress remains obstructed. Although the M23 and the DR Congo government had established a ceasefire agreement, there was a recent withdrawal from peace discussions by the M23, citing unmet commitments from Kinshasa.
As the Congolese army continues to accuse M23 of breaching the ceasefire, HRW has called on the UN Security Council, European Union, and other governments to condemn the atrocities in eastern DR Congo, impose sanctions on accountable parties, and seek prosecution for those implicated in these grave human rights violations.
