Human Rights Watch says M23 rebels and soldiers from Rwanda carry out serious abuses during an occupation of Uvira in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. In a report released Thursday, HRW alleges that the forces executed more than 50 people, and that at least eight women were raped. The rights group also describes other violations including killings and abductions, and says the abuses occurred during a month-long occupation in late 2025 and early 2026.
The accounts cited by HRW cover actions by M23 and the Rwandan army as they controlled parts of the city of Uvira, with HRW documenting patterns of violence. The reports describe not only killings and sexual violence but also the taking and holding of people, characterizing the conduct as coordinated atrocities during the period of occupation.
Neither source indicates that HRW has published evidence of who ordered the acts beyond the operational roles attributed to M23 and Rwandan forces. The allegations add to international attention on abuses linked to the conflict in eastern DRC, where armed groups and regional actors operate.
