John AdoyiAmnesty International has accused the M23 rebel group of committing war crimes, including killings, torture, and the enforced disappearance of civilians, during its recent military offensive in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
In a report released on Tuesday, the human rights group detailed a series of abuses allegedly carried out by the Rwanda-backed group between February and April 2025, as it expanded its control over parts of North and South Kivu provinces. Amnesty said the actions of M23 violate international humanitarian law and could amount to war crimes.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe renewed fighting began in January, when M23 forces seized Goma, a strategically located and mineral-rich city in North Kivu. In February, they captured Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, intensifying a conflict that has displaced tens of thousands of people and deepened the region’s humanitarian crisis.
Amnesty International’s findings are based on interviews with 18 former detainees, all of whom said they were held by M23 rebels under accusations of supporting the Congolese army or government. None of the detainees were presented with evidence or formally charged, and several were never informed of the reason for their arrest.
According to the report, detainees were held in overcrowded and unsanitary cells, with inadequate access to food, clean water, and medical care. Several said they witnessed fellow prisoners die due to mistreatment and poor conditions. One detainee recounted seeing M23 fighters kill two prisoners with hammers. Another described a man being shot in the head in an apparent execution.
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Every former detainee interviewed said they were either tortured or witnessed others being tortured.
“M23’s public statements about bringing order to eastern DRC mask their horrific treatment of detainees,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. “They brutally punish those they believe oppose them and intimidate others, so no one dares to challenge them.”
The United Nations has previously accused Rwanda of backing M23 with troops and military support—a claim Rwanda denies, saying its presence near the DRC border is solely for national security purposes. Amnesty International, however, has urged the international community to apply pressure on Rwanda to withdraw its forces from Congolese territory and end its support for M23.
Amnesty is calling on M23 to immediately release all civilians who have been arbitrarily detained or forcibly disappeared. The group also demands that detainees be treated humanely and granted access to lawyers and contact with their families. Furthermore, Amnesty insists that independent human rights monitors be granted full access to all detention sites under the rebels’ control.
The situation in eastern DRC remains tense, with sporadic clashes continuing in rural areas. Humanitarian agencies warn that displacement is rising, and resources are stretched thin. As evidence of abuses mounts, there is growing international pressure for decisive action to protect civilians and ensure accountability for those responsible.
