A chilling new investigation by Human Rights Watch has laid bare the brutal reality of the conflict raging in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, accusing the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group of a campaign of atrocities against civilians.
The report, based on extensive fieldwork, documents a series of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity committed since late 2022. It paints a picture of systematic violence designed to terrorise the population and consolidate control over the resource-rich region.
A Trail of Massacres and Executions
Researchers uncovered evidence of numerous mass killings. In the village of Kishishe, at least 20 people were summarily executed in a single day in November 2022. The true death toll is feared to be far higher, with local sources and the UN reporting figures in the hundreds. Victims were often targeted on mere suspicion of collaborating with rival militias or government forces.
Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War
The report details a harrowing pattern of sexual violence used as a tool of war. Dozens of women and girls, some as young as twelve, were subjected to brutal gang rapes by M23 fighters. Many were attacked while performing daily tasks, such as farming or fetching water. The psychological and physical scars inflicted create a legacy of trauma that will endure long after the fighting stops.
The Rwandan Connection: Command, Control, and Support
Critically, the report provides some of the most detailed evidence to date of direct Rwandan involvement. It states that Rwandan army troops have not only fought alongside the M23 but have also integrated into its command structure. Furthermore, the rebels are armed with sophisticated modern weaponry, including night-vision goggles and precision mortars, supplied by Kigali, making them a vastly superior force to the Congolese army.
International Inaction and a Deepening Crisis
Despite a wealth of evidence from the UN and organisations like HRW, the international response has been widely criticised as feeble. Diplomatic efforts have repeatedly failed to curb the violence or hold the perpetrators accountable. The conflict has displaced over one million people, creating a dire humanitarian catastrophe with overcrowded camps and the spread of cholera.
The report serves as a stark indictment of the M23's methods and their Rwandan sponsors, and a desperate plea for the world to not look away from one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time.
