M23 Rebels Ramp Up Violence in DR Congo, Claiming 140 Lives Amid Failed Peace Efforts

Sun Oct 19 2025 10:21:38 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A Human Rights Watch report reveals that recent attacks by M23 rebels resulted in the deaths of at least 140 civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, highlighting the ongoing conflict despite attempts at a peace process.

Despite ongoing peace negotiations led by the U.S. and Qatar, M23 rebels have reportedly killed at least 140 civilians in DR Congo during a recent wave of violence. Reports indicate that these atrocities occurred in July, with civilians, including women and children from the Hutu ethnic group, being executed in the Rutshuru region. The violence adds to a grim tally of casualties during a prolonged conflict marked by failed peace efforts.

A recent report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) indicates that M23 rebels executed at least 140 civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last month, marking one of the most severe assaults since the group's resurgence in 2021. This massacre unfolds despite ongoing peace negotiations facilitated by the United States and Qatar to resolve the conflict that continues to ravage the region.

Witness accounts collected by HRW revealed that the Rwanda-backed rebels conducted summary executions in the Rutshuru area, primarily targeting local residents from the Hutu ethnic group near Virunga National Park. The M23 has consistently denied involvement in these killings, labeling the accusations as "blatant misrepresentation of the facts." They did not offer further commentary on the HRW report.

The alleged massacre was part a coordinated M23 campaign against the Hutu militia, FDLR, rooted in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. HRW further reported that total civilian deaths for July could surpass 300, corroborating assertions made recently by the UN. The conflict intensified in January when the M23 seized significant portions of the mineral-rich eastern Congo, including Goma, resulting in thousands of deaths and mass displacements.

Between July 10 and 30, M23 fighters reportedly employed machetes and gunfire to attack civilians in at least 14 villages in close vicinity to Virunga National Park. Witnesses described how the insurgents surrounded communities, blocking escape routes and launching brutal attacks. One survivor recounted watching five family members perish at the hands of the rebels.

Another testimony highlighted a chilling incident where M23 soldiers gathered 70 women and children and opened fire after commanding them to sit at a riverbank. Eyewitnesses detailed a systematic effort by rebels to prevent families from conducting proper burials, with some bodies reportedly discarded into the Rutshuru River.

Additional assertions suggest involvement from the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) in backing M23 operations, a claim Rwandan authorities have steadfastly rejected, labeling it a distortion of the truth. Rwanda perceives eastern Congo as a security threat due to the persistent existence of the FDLR militia.

While diplomatic efforts to stabilize the region remain stymied, including a ceasefire agreement recently signed by M23 and the DR Congo government, the rebels withdrew from ongoing negotiations, accusing the Congolese administration of failing to honor previously agreed commitments.

In light of these developments, HRW has called on international bodies, including the UN Security Council and the European Union, to condemn grave human rights violations in eastern DR Congo, urging sanctions against perpetrators and prosecution of commanders involved in the conflict.