The Congo River Alliance (AFC/M23) has dismissed allegations of mass killings made by the United Nations in a recent report, calling them unfounded and politically motivated—just days after signing a fragile ceasefire with Kinshasa in Washington.
In a statement issued Friday, the AFC/M23 rejected accusations levelled against it by the UN Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), denouncing them as “baseless” and “politically driven.”
According to the UN report dated August 6, 2025, and a letter of July 28, 2025, the rebel movement is alleged to have killed between 169 and 319 civilians between July 9 and 21 in Rutshuru territory, North Kivu. The M23 described these claims as “contradictory” and “unsupported by evidence,” noting that some of the locations cited are within Virunga National Park, “where all farming activities are prohibited.”
The movement also condemned what it called a “flawed methodology” based on “uncorroborated” testimonies from “compromised” sources, including the Wazalendo militia and the FDLR. It accused UN bodies of disseminating “unverified information” while ignoring “atrocities committed by the Kinshasa regime,” notably the killings of Banyamulenge and Hera civilians, as well as the shelling of populated areas.
The AFC/M23 is demanding the immediate withdrawal of the report, a public apology, and the launch of an independent investigation. The group reaffirmed its “commitment to protecting civilian populations” and to opposing any “political manipulation” of international mechanisms.
A ceasefire was recently signed in Washington between representatives of the Congolese government and M23 delegates, under the auspices of international partners, in a bid to restore peace in eastern DRC.
This latest surge in tensions could jeopardise the commitments made under that fragile agreement.
ZMH/ac/sf/lb/as/APA