Atrocities Committed by M23

Human Rights Watch has documented a wave of atrocities committed by M23 rebels and Rwandan military forces during their control of Uvira in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, including summary executions, sexual violence and forced disappearances.

The 23-page report, released on Thursday, details how the armed groups occupied the strategic city in South Kivu province from December 10, 2025 , shortly after the signing of US-brokered peace accords in Washington, until their withdrawal on January 17.

Researchers documented more than 50 summary killings, at least eight rapes and a dozen forced disappearances as M23 fighters and Rwandan troops conducted door-to-door operations in the city, the second largest in South Kivu. Civilians attempting to flee were reportedly shot at, with some families torn apart in the chaos.

“It was chaos,” one survivor told investigators. “We had small bags that we threw off and we ran. I wasn’t hit so I just ran to the lake. I saw my brother, his wife, and two of his children fall.”

Philippe Bolopion, executive director at Human Rights Watch, said the abuses reflected a pattern of brutality. “After taking control of Uvira, M23 fighters and Rwandan forces went door-to-door to summarily kill men and boys and committed rape and abductions,” he said. “Human Rights Watch documented numerous horrific abuses but may have only scratched the surface.”

The findings are based on more than 120 interviews conducted in March and April 2026, marking the first detailed field investigation into the events in Uvira.

HRW said it had shared its preliminary conclusions with the Rwandan government and M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa but received no response.

The occupation occurred amid a resurgence of conflict in eastern Congo, where the M23 – a group that first emerged in 2012 and reappeared with reported Rwandan backing in 2021 – has clashed with Congolese forces and allied militias, including the Wazalendo. The fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands and been marked by widespread abuses on multiple sides.

In Uvira, forces are accused of targeting men and boys suspected of links to rival militias, executing many on the spot. Survivors of sexual violence described a near-total collapse of medical services during the occupation, including lack of access to emergency treatment to prevent HIV infection, commonly PEP (or post-exposure prophylaxis).

At least 12 civilians were forcibly recruited or abducted, with their fates still unknown. Mass graves are said to remain visible in parts of the city.

The report comes weeks after the US government imposed sanctions on the Rwandan army and its commanders over their involvement in the capture and occupation of Uvira.

Human Rights Watch called for urgent accountability. It called on Rwanda to end support for M23 and on international partners to back U.N. inquiries, impose targeted sanctions on implicated commanders, and review security assistance to both nations.

Read: Vacancies in Kenya: Employment Opportunities and Jobs in Government 2026