Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have accused Rwanda’s military and its allied rebel group, M23, of carrying out widespread atrocities in the country’s eastern region, including the killing of more than 100 people and the abduction of thousands.
In a statement released Wednesday, Congo’s interior ministry alleged that between May 10 and 13, civilians in eastern Congo were targeted by M23 fighters, who accused them of being affiliated with the Congolese army and its allied militias. The reported crimes include summary executions, mass kidnappings, sexual violence, torture, and looting.
The ministry said that at least 107 people were killed, and over 4,000 men and boys were abducted and forcibly taken to undisclosed locations. The statement also detailed restrictions on civilians’ movements and the occupation of health centers.
The Associated Press has not independently confirmed the claims. Officials from Rwanda’s military and the M23 group have not commented on the allegations.
The latest accusations come amid a surge in violence in eastern Congo, where conflict has escalated since M23 forces, reportedly backed by some 4,000 Rwandan troops, seized key cities including Goma in January and Bukavu in February. The renewed fighting has left an estimated 3,000 people dead and sparked fears of a broader regional conflict.
Just days ago, M23 publicly displayed hundreds of captured individuals in a stadium in Goma, claiming they were Congolese soldiers or allied militia members. Congolese officials, however, say the arrests were arbitrary and part of a wider campaign of repression.
The conflict is rooted in longstanding ethnic and political tensions, particularly involving the Tutsi and Hutu communities. M23 claims to defend Congo’s Tutsi minority, while Rwanda argues it is acting to protect Tutsis from persecution by Hutu militias, some of which were involved in Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and later fled into Congo.
Rwanda has repeatedly alleged that the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia composed largely of Hutu fighters, is integrated into the Congolese army—a claim Kinshasa strongly denies.