Amnesty International has accused the M23 rebel group of committing war crimes in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), citing evidence of torture, killings, and enforced disappearances in areas under rebel control.
In a report released on Tuesday, Amnesty detailed harrowing accounts from 18 former detainees, who described brutal conditions in detention centers across Goma and Bukavu, cities recently seized by the Rwandan-backed M23. The rights group said civilians were accused—often without proof—of supporting the Congolese government or army and were subjected to severe abuse.
“These acts violate international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes,” Amnesty warned, adding that detainees were often held in overcrowded, unhygienic cells without sufficient food, water, or medical care. Some reportedly died from the harsh conditions, while others were killed outright—one detainee described prisoners being bludgeoned to death with hammers, and another was shot on the spot.
Family members searching for missing relatives were often turned away by M23 fighters, who denied the detentions—an act Amnesty describes as enforced disappearances.
‘M23’s claims of order mask horror’
“M23’s public statements about bringing order to eastern DRC mask their horrific treatment of detainees. They brutally punish those who they believe oppose them and intimidate others, so no one dares to challenge them,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s regional director for East and Southern Africa.
Amnesty also called on regional and international actors to pressure Rwanda to stop supporting M23. The United Nations and the Congolese government have long accused Rwanda of backing the rebel group with weapons and troops—an allegation Kigali continues to deny. The UN estimates about 4,000 Rwandan soldiers are fighting alongside M23.
A crisis in the making
M23 is one of more than 100 armed groups operating in eastern DRC, a region plagued by violence and instability despite its mineral wealth. The recent escalation of conflict—sparked in January with M23’s capture of Goma, followed by Bukavu in February—has displaced over 100,000 people this year alone, contributing to a broader crisis that has forced more than seven million Congolese from their homes.
Despite recent promises by the Congolese army and the rebels to seek a truce, fighting has continued, with M23 previously threatening to advance as far as the capital, Kinshasa, over 1,600km (1,000 miles) away.
The situation in eastern DRC remains volatile, with international pressure mounting for a peaceful resolution amid growing fears of a humanitarian disaster.
