DR Congo accuses rebels of civilian killings despite truce

Rebels have killed at least 80 people in eastern DR Congo in recent weeks, Congolese authorities said, despite the ongoing Qatar-led peace process aiming to end the conflict.

The army said in a statement late Friday that it is “fiercely condemning a series of mass murders of civilians by the RDF/M23-AFC coalition" in South Kivu, including of 80 people on August 4 in the village of Nyaborongo, and of six civilians, including two minors, on July 24 in the village of Lumbishi.

“In addition to this excessive criminality, the M23/AFC is engaged in the forced recruitment of young people, including minors, to join their illegal organization,” the statement said.

The continuing violence could threaten Qatar-led efforts to get Congo and the rebels to sign a permanent peace deal by the goal of August 18. One of the deal’s conditions is the protection of civilians and safe return of millions of people displaced by the conflict.

There was no immediate comment from M23 rebel group.

Targeting villages

Earlier this month, the the UN human rights chief said that M23 killed 319 people over the past month in a different part of the region, describing the toll as one of the largest documented in such attacks since the M23 rebels resurfaced in 2022.