Rwanda-backed M23 rebels killed at least 140 people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in July, according to a new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW). The rights group warned that total killings in Rutshuru territory may have exceeded 300, echoing similar findings by the United Nations last month.
The report comes despite ongoing U.S.- and Qatar-backed peace talks aimed at halting violence in the region. Reuters, which first reported on the killings in July, noted it could not independently verify HRW’s latest findings.
What Did Witnesses Say About the Massacres?
HRW detailed harrowing witness accounts from survivors. One woman, who said she saw M23 rebels kill her husband with a machete, described being forced to march with about 70 women and children. “They told us to sit on the edge of the riverbank, and then they started shooting at us,” she recalled, adding that she survived by falling into the river before being hit.
Another survivor told HRW he watched helplessly from a distance as rebels killed his wife and four children, aged between nine months and 10 years.
How Has M23 Responded to the Allegations?
M23 has repeatedly denied involvement in the massacres. Rebel official Benjamin Mbonimpa posted on X, claiming that territories under M23 control were well administered and that the group was being wrongly accused.
What Are the Wider Implications for Peace Talks?
The killings cast a shadow over the peace process. On June 27, Rwanda and Congo signed a U.S.-brokered agreement, raising hopes for an end to fighting that has already killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands this year. Congo’s foreign affairs ministry said the atrocities questioned the sincerity of stakeholders in both the Washington deal and the ongoing Doha talks.
HRW said the attacks occurred in at least 14 villages and farming areas near Virunga National Park, mostly targeting ethnic Hutu and some Nande communities. The group urged the U.N. Security Council, European Union, and governments to impose further sanctions, press for arrests, and demand that Rwanda allow forensic experts into areas under M23 control.
By Lucky Anyanje