Kinshasa: At least 319 civilians were killed by M23 rebels in a series of attacks in four villages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's eastern province of North Kivu last month, the UN human rights office said Wednesday, citing firsthand accounts. The attacks, which occurred between July 9 and 21 in Rutshuru territory, represent one of the deadliest periods since M23's resurgence in 2022.
According to Anadolu Agency, the UN human rights office reported that the majority of the victims, including at least 48 women and 19 children, were local farmers who had been camping in their fields during the planting season. This violent episode has prompted international condemnation and highlighted the ongoing instability in the region.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed grave concern over the attacks on civilians by M23 and other armed groups in eastern DRC. He emphasized that these actions occurred despite a recently signed ceasefire in Doha. Turk called for an immediate cessation of attacks on civilians and stressed the need for accountability for those responsible.
The violence took place against the backdrop of a declaration signed on July 19 in Doha between the Congolese government and M23 rebels, following a peace deal brokered in June between Congo and Rwanda in Washington. The M23 rebel group, which remains a central figure in the eastern Congo conflict, controls significant territory, including the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu, which it seized earlier this year.
The UN, Kinshasa, and other parties have accused neighboring Rwanda of supporting M23, allegations that Rwanda has consistently denied. In his statement, Turk urged the signatories and facilitators of the Doha and Washington agreements to ensure the safety and security of Congolese civilians and to make genuine progress toward resolving the conflict.
Additionally, Turk condemned attacks on civilians by other armed groups in the region, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which is linked to the Islamic State in Central Africa, and the Cooperative for the Development of Congo (CODECO) militia. The ongoing violence underscores the challenges facing peace efforts in the eastern DRC.