Rwanda-backed M23 rebels killed at least 140 civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in July, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported Wednesday, warning that total deaths may have exceeded 300.
The killings occurred in Rutshuru territory, North Kivu province, an area where fighting has intensified despite peace talks mediated by the United States and Qatar. HRW said its findings echo a UN report released last month pointing to widespread massacres.
Reuters, which first reported the July violence, was unable to independently verify the new HRW figures. The group urged stronger international pressure to halt attacks by M23, which it says receives military support from Rwanda, an accusation Kigali has repeatedly denied.
The resurgence of M23 has worsened Congo’s humanitarian crisis, displacing hundreds of thousands of people in a region already destabilized by decades of armed conflict.
Written By Rodney Mbua
