In one of the deadliest waves of violence in recent years, at least 319 people were killed in a series of massacres carried out by Rwanda-backed rebels in eastern Congo, according to a Wednesday statement from the United Nations’ top human rights official.
U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk cited eyewitness accounts in describing the scale of atrocities by the M23 rebel group and elements of the Rwandan Defense Force. The coordinated attacks struck four villages in the Rutshuru territory of North Kivu province between July 9 and July 21.
“I am appalled by the attacks on civilians by the M23 and other armed groups,” Türk said, condemning the violence and calling for “an immediate end to attacks on civilians.”
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The new toll marks one of the highest death counts linked to M23 activity since the rebel group reemerged in 2022, intensifying instability across Congo’s mineral-rich eastern region, where more than 100 armed factions operate.
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The spike in killings comes just days after a July 19 declaration of principles was signed in Qatar by Congo’s government and the M23. That agreement was intended as a roadmap toward a comprehensive peace deal, including the restoration of Congolese authority in rebel-held areas and the protection of civilians.
Yet according to the U.N., the mass killings occurred immediately after the signing, an ominous sign that the path to peace remains deeply fragile.
There has been no response from either M23 or the Rwandan government, both of which have previously denied accusations of coordinated attacks on civilians.
Earlier this year, M23 seized two strategic cities in eastern Congo with reported backing from Rwandan forces, escalating tensions and displacing hundreds of thousands.
The ongoing bloodshed poses a direct threat to Qatar-led mediation efforts, which aim to deliver a final peace accord by August 18. A key condition of the agreement is the safe return of displaced civilians and a guarantee of protection from further violence.
