NGOs have accused Rwanda-linked rebels of carrying out massacres of civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The allegations add another layer to a conflict that has destabilised the Great Lakes region for nearly three decades, uprooting millions and leaving communities traumatised.
The violence in DR Congo’s east traces back to the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, when refugee flows and armed factions spilled over the border. In the years that followed, the country endured two devastating wars involving multiple African nations, often referred to as Africa’s “world war.” While a peace agreement was signed in 2003, armed groups never truly disbanded, instead re-emerging in cycles of violence.
Today, the resurgence of the M23 rebellion has brought fresh instability. The group cites broken peace promises, while Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supplying direct support—a charge Kigali denies. Despite regional mediation and United Nations involvement, civilians remain the primary victims, facing displacement, recruitment by militias, and recurring attacks.
In this edition of NewsHour, we hear from our correspondent Chris Ocamringa in Kinshasa and later from Nigerian political analyst Adamu Garba, as we explore the history, the allegations, and the pressing question of how peace can finally be achieved.
The military spokesperson for the M23 rebel movement, Willy Ngoma, was killed in an army drone strike in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo early on Tuesday (24 February), according to a regional diplomat, a senior rebel figure and a Western adviser to the government.
The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group signed a framework agreement on Saturday (15 November) for a peace deal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands this year.
The UN Human Rights Office said on Friday that armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, including M23 rebels and government forces, committed serious violations that may amount to war crimes, citing killings, rapes and torture.
When Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants stormed her village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Maman Soki lost her daughter, sister, and neighbours.
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