Kinshasa: A damning report released by the United Nations Human Rights Office has concluded that both the M23 rebel movement and units of the Congolese army, along with allied militias, may have engaged in grave violations that rise to the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The 84-page document, published on Thursday, paints a bleak picture of escalating atrocities in the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, where battles between M23 and government forces have intensified since late 2024. According to UN investigators, the conflict has left thousands dead and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes, plunging local communities into a humanitarian crisis with little access to aid or protection.
The report singles out M23, a Rwandan-backed rebel group, for some of the most harrowing abuses. Witness testimonies collected by investigators describe summary executions of civilians, forced disappearances, widespread torture, and sexual violence, including instances of gang rape used as a weapon of war. The findings suggest that these crimes were not isolated incidents but rather part of a systematic pattern of terror meant to intimidate communities and consolidate rebel control.
Equally troubling are the accusations directed at Congolese security forces and pro-government militias such as the Wazalendo. The UN report documents cases of rape, unlawful killings, looting of villages, and the recruitment of child soldiers by groups operating in the name of defending the state. These revelations underscore that abuses are not confined to one side but reflect a cycle of violence where civilians bear the heaviest burden.
For the first time in an official UN assessment of the conflict, investigators have suggested that the documented violations could constitute not only war crimes but also crimes against humanity, a classification that carries heavier international legal implications. The report urges the immediate revival of a Commission of Inquiry to gather evidence and hold perpetrators accountable. However, funding shortages have stalled this mechanism, leaving victims with little recourse to justice.
In July, under Qatari mediation, the Congolese government and M23 signed a peace declaration, raising hopes of a potential breakthrough. Yet, two months later, no substantial talks have taken place, and fighting has continued sporadically. Human rights advocates fear that without a strong accountability framework, such agreements risk becoming paper pledges with no real impact on the ground.
The report emphasizes the devastating humanitarian consequences of the conflict. Entire communities have been uprooted, schools and hospitals destroyed, and displaced populations are left in precarious conditions in overcrowded camps. Aid agencies warn that unless violence subsides, eastern Congo could face one of the largest displacement crises in Africa in recent years.