Two new reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch reveal harrowing testimony of mass killings, sexual violence and forced displacement in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), underscoring the human cost of the conflict despite ongoing peace talks.
Armed violence in eastern DRC is continuing to impact the lives of civilians, as two new reports – one from Amnesty International and another from Human Rights Watch (HRW) – have painted a harrowing picture of widespread abuses by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and other militia.
Despite ongoing peace talks, both NGOs argue that justice and accountability are urgently needed.
Amnesty’s investigation – based on more than 50 victim and witness testimonies – focuses heavily on sexual violence, forced disappearances and targeted attacks on civil society.
Survivors told of mass rapes carried out by fighters in uniforms resembling those of the M23, with many assailants speaking Kinyarwanda.
Women, Amnesty notes, face danger everywhere: in their homes, fields, or even displacement camps. The report also documents torture, abductions of journalists and lawyers, and at least five summary executions.
“The brutality of the belligerents knows no limits,” warned Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty’s regional director, adding that both Rwanda and the Congolese government must stop deflecting blame and bring perpetrators to account.
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Focus on Virunga
HRW’s findings, while overlapping in their assessment of M23’s responsibility, shed light on large-scale killings near Virunga national park in July.
Drawing on 25 witness accounts and medical and UN sources, the group estimates that more than 140 people were killed, with the toll potentially surpassing 300. Victims were largely from the Hutu and Nande communities.
Survivors described being forced on marches, witnessing relatives butchered, and narrowly escaping execution. One woman recalled rebels ordering her group to sit by a riverbank before opening fire.
She survived by plunging into the water. Another man recounted watching helplessly as his wife and four children were slaughtered.
War crimes
Both Amnesty and HRW underline that these acts may amount to war crimes. They also highlight the regional dimension: M23’s resurgence since 2021 – reportedly with Rwandan backing – has destabilised the mineral-rich provinces of North and South Kivu, displacing more than two million people this year alone.
The group seized the regional capital Goma in January and the South Kivu town of Bukavu in February, while local militia aligned with Kinshasa have also been implicated in abuses.
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The reports present a grim account that the violence is both systematic and widespread, targeting civilians indiscriminately through rape, execution and terror.
HRW has urged the UN Security Council, the EU and governments to expand sanctions and pursue prosecutions, while calling on Rwanda to allow independent forensic access to rebel-controlled areas.
Amnesty insists that neither Kigali nor Kinshasa can shirk responsibility, pressing them to hold perpetrators accountable and protect civilians.
As things stand, peace negotiations in Qatar and regional diplomatic efforts have been overshadowed by the mounting civilian toll.
