The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
KINSHASA, DRC | THE INDEPENDENT | The March 23 Movement (M23) has denied accusations of killing 319 civilians in Rutshuru territory, Northern Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
On Wednesday, Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN-OHCHR), released a statement saying that the victims were killed by M23 rebels in four villages of Rutshuru territory between July 9 and 21,2025.
Turk described the act as one of the highest death tolls recorded in this type of attack since the resurgence of the M23 in 2022. According to Turk, most of the victims were local farmers who were camping in their fields during the planting season.
Turk also condemned attacks against civilians by other armed groups, such as CODECO and the ADF, accused of massacring at least forty Christian civilians during an attack in Komanda, Ituri, on July 27, 2025. He called on parties to the conflict in eastern DRC to spare civilians and respect their obligations under international humanitarian law.
On Friday, the DR Congo government spokesperson, Patrick Muyaya Katembwe, released a statement condemning M23, saying that civilians didn’t deserve to be killed because they were defenceless.
However, M23 rebels, through their political spokesperson, released a statement denying the accusations, describing them as baseless. In a statement, M23 says the accusations are blatant manipulation of facts, a violation of the fundamental principles of impartiality, and a serious attack on the credibility of UN institutions.
M23 also says the accusations are biased, contribute to disinformation and undermine ongoing peace efforts. M23 also demands the immediate withdrawal of the UNJHRO/OD/138/2025 report and a public apology, an independent investigation into the origin of these false accusations and the internal responsibilities within the UNJHRO and an end to the bias of UN mechanisms, which must investigate all violations in a balanced manner, including those committed by the Kinshasa regime.
The statement adds that the AFC/M23 remains committed to protecting civilian populations and will not tolerate defamation or political instrumentalisation by institutions supposed to ensure impartiality.
Meanwhile, M23 rebels on Friday captured the villages of Kaniola, Muzinzi, Ciruko, and Mulamba in Walungu territory, South Kivu province, following fierce clashes with the coalition of Wazalendo militias and the Congolese army-FARDC.
Speaking during a press conference in Goma city, Bertrand Bisimwa, the M23 rebels’ president, said any attack against their position will create a counterattack and silence of weapons from the source since the government army and coalition have continued to violate ceasefire declarations.
Rebels now control major areas of North and South Kivu provinces since the resumption of the insurgency in 2022. The Democratic Republic of Congo government has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting M23, a claim that both Rwanda and M23 deny.
*****
URN
