M23 rebels killed 319 civilians in east DR Congo in July, UN says

UN rights main Volker Turk says the unit resulted successful ‘one of the largest documented decease tolls’ contempt a truce.

Rwanda-backed M23 rebels killed astatine slightest 319 civilians, including 48 women and 19 children, past period successful eastbound Democratic Republic of Congo, Volker Turk, UN precocious commissioner for quality rights, said, citing “first-hand accounts”.

The unit successful the Rutshuru territory of North Kivu Province produced “one of the largest documented decease tolls successful specified attacks since the M23’s resurgence successful 2022,” Turk said successful a connection connected Wednesday.

With Rwanda’s support, the M23 has seized swaths of the mineral-rich Congolese eastbound from the DRC’s service since its resurgence successful 2021, triggering a spiralling humanitarian situation successful a portion already riven by 3 decades of conflict.

July’s unit came lone weeks aft the Congolese authorities and the M23 signed a declaration of principle connected June 19 reaffirming their committedness to a imperishable ceasefire, pursuing months of breached truces.

[Al Jazeera]

“I americium appalled by the attacks connected civilians by the M23 and different equipped groups successful eastbound DRC amid continued fighting, contempt the ceasefire that was precocious signed successful Doha,” Turk said successful a statement.

“All attacks against civilians indispensable halt immediately, and each those liable indispensable beryllium held to account,” helium added.

Turk’s UN Human Rights Office said it had documented aggregate attacks successful North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri provinces, successful the conflict-ridden eastbound of the state bordering Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.

In the statement signed successful Doha, the warring parties agreed to “uphold their committedness to a imperishable ceasefire”, refraining from “hate propaganda” and “any effort to prehend by unit caller positions”.

The woody includes a roadmap for restoring authorities authorization successful eastbound DRC, and an statement for the 2 sides to unfastened nonstop talks towards a broad bid agreement.

It followed a separate agreement signed successful Washington by the Congolese authorities and Rwanda, which has a past of involution successful the eastbound DRC stretching backmost to the 1990s.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi are owed to conscionable successful the coming months to steadfast up the Washington agreement, whose presumption person not yet been implemented.

Last week, the 2 countries agreed to a US State Department-brokered economical model outline arsenic portion of the bid deal.

“I impulse the signatories and facilitators of some the Doha and Washington agreements to guarantee that they rapidly construe into safety, information and existent advancement for civilians successful the DRC, who proceed to endure the devastating consequences of these conflicts,” said Turk.

Rich successful cardinal minerals specified arsenic golden and coltan, the Congolese eastbound has been riven by warring betwixt rival equipped groups and interference by overseas powers for much than 30 years.

Dozens of ceasefires and truces person been brokered and breached successful caller years without providing a lasting extremity to the conflict.