Rwanda-Backed Rebellion Sparks Deadly Conflict in Eastern Congo

A Human Rights Watch report states that Rwanda-backed rebels, specifically the M23 group, killed at least 140 people in eastern Congo in July. These attacks targeted predominantly Hutu farming communities as part of a military campaign against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

In eastern Congo, at least 140 individuals were reportedly killed by Rwanda-backed rebels in July, according to a recent Human Rights Watch report. The attacks, seen as 'summary executions,' primarily targeted Hutu communities and were linked to the M23 group, supported by Rwanda's government, against the FDLR.

Following the 1994 genocide, an estimated 2 million Hutus fled Rwanda to Congo. Kigali accuses some of these refugees of involvement in the genocide and claims they receive protection from the Congolese army. Witnesses assert that M23 rebels conducted systematic executions in local villages, allegedly alongside Rwandan soldiers.

Rwanda has yet to comment on the allegations. Meanwhile, the violence exacerbates the already tense situation in Congo's resource-rich eastern region, where efforts to achieve a lasting peace have been ongoing. The UN describes the conflict as a complex humanitarian crisis, with M23 previously implicated in severe human rights abuses.

(With inputs from agencies.)