KINSHASA / DAKAR, August 20, 2025 – A new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) alleges that around 140 civilians—most from the ethnic Hutu community—were summarily executed by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in July. The killings occurred in more than a dozen villages near Virunga National Park, despite an ongoing peace process brokered by the U.S. and Qatar. Survivors recounted being forced to bury bodies immediately or leave them unburied, hindering funeral rites Reuters.
HRW’s findings stem from interviews with survivors, medical personnel, and U.N. staff. Witnesses described brutal executions—including mass shootings—of farmers, with one survivor recounting a group of about 70 civilians shot at a riverbank AP News
In response, M23 has denied responsibility, calling the report “military propaganda” Reuters.
Amnesty International released a separate report corroborating the pattern of violence: both M23 and pro-government militias have committed mass atrocities and sexual violence, including gang rape AP News.