- Killings, Sexual Violence, and Abductions by the M23 and Rwandan Forces in Uvira, Democratic Republic of Congo1.50 MB
The M23 armed group and the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) committed numerous serious violations of international humanitarian law, many amounting to war crimes, during their capture and occupation of the city of Uvira in South Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, from December 10, 2025, to January 17, 2026. Uvira fell to the M23 and Rwandan forces just days after the United States-brokered peace agreement between Rwanda and Congo; the agreement may have been a catalyst for these forces’ sudden withdrawal a month later.
Human Rights Watch’s findings are based on the first field research in Uvira since the M23 withdrew. Human Rights Watch in-person and remotely interviewed over 120 survivors and witnesses of abuses, relatives of victims, and various sources regarding unlawful killings, summary executions, rape and other sexual violence, abductions, and forced recruitment of civilians during the occupation.
Report by the Human Rights Watch
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