Since the end of 2022, the humanitarian situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has become catastrophic. Rwandan-backed M23 fighters have continued to commit unlawful killings, gang rapes and other blatant war crimes despite international condemnation of their actions. This humanitarian crisis has been aggravated by two years of state of siege in the region and by the collaboration of the FARDC with several armed groups, mainly on the basis of ethnic criteria.
Human Rights Watch documented eight cases of summary executions and fourteen cases of rape committed by M23 combatants. Other information indicates that this armed group committed a dozen other executions, but these elements could not be independently corroborated. M23 fighters have also carried out attacks with explosive weapons in populated areas, injuring and killing civilians, damaging infrastructure and aggravating the humanitarian crisis.
Rwanda has deployed troops to eastern DR Congo to provide direct military support to M23, helping the armed group extend its control over neighboring territories. Faced with this situation, Human Rights Watch calls on the United Nations Security Council to add the leaders of the M23 as well as the Rwandan officials who support them to the list of sanctions targets.
Furthermore, the attacks carried out by the M23 have exacerbated ethnic tensions and reinforced the identification of communities through ethnic affiliations. The security risk for civilian populations is thus increasingly high. Gang rapes have been committed by M23 fighters against women in front of their families, a practice that amplifies the trauma suffered by victims and erodes the social fabric of communities and families.
The security situation in eastern DR Congo is therefore of grave concern, and Congolese and Rwandan authorities both have an obligation to bring to justice M23 commanders for their crimes as well as any Rwandan official who provides support to this armed group responsible for serious abuses