KINSHASA, Congo — Congolese authorities have reported the discovery of mass graves containing at least 171 bodies in areas recently vacated by the M23 rebel group in eastern Congo, raising serious concerns about ongoing violence despite internationally-mediated peace efforts.
South-Kivu provincial governor Jean-Jacques Purusi confirmed the grim findings in two locations near the eastern city of Uvira. According to his statement, one mass grave containing approximately 30 victims was located in Kiromoni, near the Burundian border, while a second site in Kavimvira held 141 bodies.
The Local Network for the Protection of Civilians, a regional civil society organization, attempted to investigate the sites but reported being blocked by Congolese military forces. Yves Ramadhani, the group’s vice president, stated that preliminary information indicates the victims were allegedly executed by M23 rebels who suspected them of affiliations with either the Congolese army or pro-government militias.
This development occurs against a backdrop of escalating conflict in mineral-rich eastern Congo, where the M23 rebel group has dramatically expanded from hundreds of fighters in 2021 to approximately 6,500 combatants according to UN estimates. The United Nations, United States, and Congolese government have consistently accused Rwanda of supporting the rebel organization.
The recent violence in Uvira alone has resulted in over 1,500 fatalities and displaced approximately 300,000 people since M23 captured the area in December. The group’s subsequent withdrawal was characterized as a “unilateral trust-building measure” requested by U.S. mediators to advance peace negotiations.
Despite diplomatic efforts including a U.S.-brokered agreement between the Congolese and Rwandan governments, fighting persists across multiple fronts in eastern Congo. The region hosts more than 100 armed groups competing for control and has created one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with over 7 million people displaced according to UN refugee agencies.
Both Congolese military forces and M23 rebels have faced previous accusations of extrajudicial killings and human rights violations from international watchdogs. The Associated Press could not independently verify the latest allegations, and M23 representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.