United Nations (UN) Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has condemned the escalation in deadly attacks by the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels and other armed groups against civilians in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the past month.
This comes despite the DRC government and the M23 group signing a declaration of principles in Qatar in July, agreeing to a ceasefire and to further negotiations towards a comprehensive agreement.
This was preceded by the signing of a peace agreement in Washington DC between the two countries in June.
The Human Rights office has called on the signatories of both agreements to ensure real progress for civilians in the DRC.
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence says, “According to first-hand accounts received by our Office, at least 319 civilians were killed by the M23 backed by members of the Rwanda Defence Force between 9 and 21 July in four villages in the Rutshuru territory of North Kivu Province.”
Laurence adds, “This is one of the largest documented death tolls in such attacks since the M23’s resurgence in 2022. Most of the victims, including at least 48 women and 19 children, were local farmers camping in their fields during the planting season.”
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