The United Nations has accused both the Congolese armed forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group of committing “horrific” atrocities — including gang rape, sexual slavery, torture, and the killing of civilians — in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo over the past year. According to a new U.N. human rights report released Friday, the governments of both countries share responsibility for the crimes.
The findings, compiled by a U.N. fact-finding mission that visited the conflict zone from March to August 2025, warn that war crimes and crimes against humanity may have been committed since late 2024. The report links the escalation to January’s seizure of the strategic eastern city of Goma by M23 fighters — a flashpoint in Congo’s decades-long conflict.
“The atrocities described in this report are horrific,” said U.N. Human Rights Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani in Geneva, citing High Commissioner Volker Türk. She condemned the “dehumanization” of civilians and criticized those in power for failing to protect them.
The report will be presented to the U.N. Human Rights Council at its next session beginning Monday. The ongoing fighting has killed an estimated 3,000 people, stoked fears of a broader regional war, and deepened one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. While abuses have been documented for years, U.N. officials note a recent surge in sexual violence targeting women and girls.
Investigators detail how M23 rebels have carried out summary executions, torture, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, and forced recruitment of civilians perceived as hostile to the group. Sexual violence was described as prolonged and often combined with physical and psychological torture designed to “degrade, punish, and break the dignity” of victims.
Congo’s armed forces (FARDC) and their allied militias, including Wazalendo, were also accused of deliberate killings, widespread sexual violence — including gang rape — and looting. The report emphasizes that these were not isolated incidents but part of “recurring patterns” involving large groups acting simultaneously in multiple locations.
The U.N. human rights office said both governments are responsible not only for directly supporting armed groups with known histories of abuse but also for failing to uphold their international obligations to protect civilians and ensure respect for humanitarian law.
