KEY POINTS
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UN says M23 and Congo forces committed possible war crimes.
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Report cites executions, torture, and systematic sexual violence.
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Peace talks with rebels remain stalled despite mediation efforts.
The United Nations has accused both the Rwandan-backed rebel group M23 and Congo’s army of committing grave human rights violations in the country’s volatile east, warning that the abuses may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
War crimes in eastern Congo conflict
According to a report released Friday by the UN Human Rights Office, M23, Congo’s Armed Forces (FARDC), and affiliated militia groups have been responsible for atrocities across North and South Kivu provinces since fighting escalated late last year. The UN’s Fact-Finding Mission documented summary executions, torture, enforced disappearances, and widespread sexual violence.
“The atrocities described in this report are horrific,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said in a statement, calling for accountability and justice for victims.
The report found that M23, led by ethnic Tutsi rebels, used systematic sexual violence, including gang rape, to humiliate and break survivors. It also documented the group’s alleged links to Rwanda’s Defense Forces, noting credible evidence of training, operational support, and even covert involvement by Rwandan troops. Rwanda has repeatedly denied backing the insurgents, insisting its operations are aimed at countering Hutu militia fighters tied to the 1994 genocide.
Congo forces also implicated in abuses
The UN report did not absolve Congo’s army or its allied groups. FARDC troops and pro-government militias, including fighters known as Wazalendo, were also accused of gang rapes, deliberate civilian killings, and looting. These findings underline the scale of violations committed on all sides of the conflict.
Accoridng to Reuters, M23 captured the key city of Goma in January before advancing deeper into North and South Kivu. The offensive has killed thousands and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes, raising the specter of a wider war in a region rich in tin, coltan, and gold.
While human rights groups have long flagged atrocities in eastern Congo, this is the first UN report to conclude that the abuses may constitute crimes against humanity. Despite a declaration of principles signed on July 19 after mediation by Qatar, peace talks with M23 have stalled, leaving prospects for a ceasefire uncertain.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo is contending with fresh health concerns, declaring a new Ebola outbreak on Thursday that has already caused more than a dozen deaths.
