UN Report: Widespread Atrocities in Eastern Congo May Constitute War Crimes

The United Nations Human Rights Office has accused the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel movement, the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), and other armed groups of committing grave abuses in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

In a report released Friday, the UN Fact-Finding Mission documented atrocities carried out since late last year in North and South Kivu, including summary executions, torture, enforced disappearances, and widespread sexual violence.

“The atrocities described in this report are horrific,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, urging accountability for victims.

M23, an ethnic Tutsi-led group, seized Goma—eastern Congo’s largest city—in January, before expanding across North and South Kivu. The fighting has killed thousands, displaced hundreds of thousands, and intensified the risk of a wider regional war in a mineral-rich area central to the global supply of tin, gold, and coltan.

According to the UN report, M23 fighters carried out systematic sexual violence, including gang rape, often with the stated intent to degrade and punish victims. The mission also found credible evidence that M23 received training and operational support from Rwanda’s Defense Forces (RDF), including reports of covert RDF personnel embedded with rebel units. Rwanda has consistently denied backing M23, insisting its military actions are defensive measures against Congolese forces and Hutu militias linked to the 1994 genocide. M23 has also denied committing atrocities.

The report further accused the FARDC and allied pro-government militias, including the Wazalendo, of grave violations such as the deliberate killing of civilians, gang rape, and large-scale looting.

Despite mediation efforts led by Qatar, which resulted in a July 19 declaration of principles between Kinshasa and M23, both sides missed an August deadline to begin formal peace negotiations.