UN Alleges M23 Massacre of 169 Civilians in Eastern Congo; Rebels Cry ‘Smear’
The United Nations human rights office has accused the M23 rebel group of killing at least 169 farmers and other civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) earlier this month—one of the deadliest attacks since the militia resumed fighting in North Kivu province.
A confidential report from the UN Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO), obtained by Reuters, said the attack began on July 9 in Rutshuru territory and targeted suspected members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia that includes remnants of the 1994 Rwandan genocide forces.
“Civilians, mainly farmers temporarily camping in their fields for the ploughing season, were attacked. The human toll has been particularly high: at least 169 people have been killed,” the report stated, noting the victims were isolated and far from immediate protection or support.
Local activists said witnesses described M23 fighters using guns and machetes, but Reuters could not independently verify the death toll.
M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa confirmed the group had received a letter from the UNJHRO and would conduct an internal investigation, but he dismissed the allegations as a “smear campaign” possibly driven by Congolese staff within the UN office.
“Before imposing sanctions, the facts must first be verified… This rush to publish unconfirmed information is propaganda whose purpose is known only to the UNJHRO,” Bisimwa said.
The UNJHRO combines the human rights division of the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo (MONUSCO) with the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in the country.
The report emerges as Washington intensifies diplomatic efforts to broker a peace accord between Congo and Rwanda, aiming to stabilize the mineral-rich region and unlock billions in investment.
Both the Congolese government and M23 have pledged to pursue a peace agreement by August 18, even as months of renewed clashes have killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands across North Kivu.
