How Rwanda-backed rebels massacred civilians in Congo

Human Rights Watch: Rwanda-Backed M23 Rebels Killed at Least 140 in Eastern Congo

20th August, 2025 – Human Rights Watch (HRW) has reported that Rwanda-backed M23 rebels killed at least 140 people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in July, despite ongoing peace negotiations supported by the U.S. and Qatar.

In a report released Wednesday, the rights group said the death toll in Rutshuru territory may exceed 300, aligning with similar findings published by the United Nations last month. The report expands on killings first reported by Reuters in July, citing testimony from survivors and witnesses.

One woman recounted how rebels killed her husband with a machete before forcing her and dozens of others to march for hours to a river. “They told us to sit on the edge of the riverbank, and then they started shooting at us,” she told HRW. She survived by falling into the river unnoticed.

Another survivor described watching helplessly as M23 fighters killed his wife and four children, aged nine months to 10 years.

According to HRW, the attacks targeted at least 14 villages and farming areas near Virunga National Park. Most victims were members of the Hutu community, with some Nande among those killed. The group gathered evidence from 25 witnesses, medical staff, U.N. personnel, and other sources.

The wave of killings came just weeks after a U.S.-brokered preliminary agreement was signed on June 27 between Congo and Rwanda, alongside Qatar-hosted peace talks involving the M23. The rebel group has denied involvement in the massacres and did not respond to HRW’s latest findings.

HRW urged the U.N. Security Council, the European Union, and national governments to step up sanctions, press for arrests, and ensure prosecutions. It also called on Rwanda to grant U.N. investigators and independent forensic experts access to areas under M23 control.

Source Image: BBC News

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