UN Condemns Mass Killings by M23 Rebels
(MENAFN) At least 319 non-combatants lost their lives in a wave of assaults carried out by M23 militants across four communities in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s North Kivu province last month, according to the UN human rights office, which relied on eyewitness testimonies.
The fatal incidents took place between July 9 and 21 in the Rutshuru area and represent one of the most lethal episodes since M23 reemerged as a major force in 2022, the UN human rights office said in its official release.
A significant portion of those killed — including no fewer than 48 women and 19 minors — were agricultural workers who had been staying in their fields during the cultivation season.
“I am appalled by the attacks on civilians by the M23 and other armed groups in eastern DRC amid continued fighting, despite the ceasefire that was recently signed in Doha,” declared UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.
He urged an immediate cessation of all violent acts against civilians and demanded that those accountable face justice.
On July 19, the Congolese administration and M23 insurgents agreed to a declaration in Doha, the capital of Qatar, following a prior peace agreement reached on June 27 in Washington between the DRC and Rwanda.
The M23 movement, which plays a central role in the turmoil affecting eastern Congo, maintains control over large swathes of territory, including the regional hubs of Goma and Bukavu, which it took earlier this year.
The UN, Kinshasa, and other international actors accuse nearby Rwanda of backing M23, an allegation that Kigali has consistently denied.
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