DR Congo: Children reportedly killed in summary executions by M23 fighters
February 18, 2025
By Agence France-Presse
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo (AFP) – At least four children were reportedly killed in summary executions by M23 rebel fighters in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a UN report said Saturday (February 18).
The UN Joint Human Rights Office in the DRC said in a statement that it had documented the killings of 131 civilians, including 17 children, in the Rutshuru territory of North Kivu province between November 20, 2022, and February 13, 2023.
“At least four of the children were reportedly killed in summary executions by M23 fighters,” the statement said.
The M23 rebels, a predominantly Tutsi group, have been accused of committing serious human rights abuses, including murder, rape, and looting, during their recent offensive in eastern DRC.
The UN report said that the majority of the victims were killed in attacks on villages by M23 fighters, while others were killed during clashes between the rebels and government forces.
“The UN Joint Human Rights Office strongly condemns these killings and calls on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law and human rights law,” the statement said.
The report also called on the Congolese authorities to investigate the killings and hold those responsible to account.
The M23 rebellion began in 2012, when a group of former members of the Congolese army mutinied. The rebels were defeated in 2013, but they relaunched their offensive in October 2022.
The M23 rebels have seized control of several towns and villages in eastern DRC, including the strategic city of Bunagana. The fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and created a humanitarian crisis.
The Congolese government has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebels, a charge that Rwanda has denied.
The UN Security Council has condemned the M23 rebellion and called on the rebels to lay down their arms and withdraw from the areas they have seized.
The international community has also called for an investigation into the human rights abuses committed by the M23 rebels.
DR Congo: Children reportedly killed in summary executions by M23 fighters
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