Summary executions, rape and other brutal abuses were carried out during the occupation of the lakeside city of Uvira in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo by the M23 rebel group and alleged Rwandan soldiers, according to a new investigation by Human Rights Watch.
The rights group says at least 53 civilians — including 46 men, one woman and six children — were executed during door-to-door raids after M23 rebels seized control of the city in December. Witnesses interviewed by investigators described horrifying scenes of violence and fear across several neighbourhoods.
“They shot my neighbour in the head first,” one resident told investigators. Another survivor said he watched four members of his family being killed while trying to escape.
“I ran toward the lake after the shooting started. I saw my brother, his wife and two of their children collapse,” he recalled.
The M23 rebel group, which is widely accused by the international community of receiving support from Rwanda, has denied wrongdoing. Rwanda has repeatedly rejected allegations that it backs the rebels or has deployed troops in eastern DR Congo.
However, many witnesses interviewed by HRW claimed they saw uniformed Rwandan soldiers operating alongside M23 fighters during the occupation.
The violence unfolded shortly after former US President Donald Trump brokered a peace agreement between DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame aimed at easing tensions in the mineral-rich region.
Despite diplomatic efforts, the M23 captured Uvira, a strategic city on the shores of Lake Tanganyika and an important gateway to neighbouring Burundi. The rebels later withdrew in January following strong international pressure.
The HRW report documented several cases of rape allegedly committed by both rebels and Rwandan soldiers. Survivors described severe sexual violence and intimidation during the occupation.
“They stripped me, tied my hands behind my back and raped me,” one woman said. She added that her husband was shot dead when he tried to stop the attackers.
Another survivor said armed men threatened to kill her if she refused their demands. Witnesses also described forced disappearances, abductions and the recruitment of civilians.
Investigators visited three suspected mass grave sites in Uvira, including one near a former UN peacekeeping position. Children were also reportedly targeted during the violence. HRW said one 12-year-old boy survived after being shot and stabbed by fighters who believed he was dead.
The organisation believes the abuses committed during the occupation may amount to war crimes.
The report comes amid growing concern over worsening violence in eastern DR Congo. According to the UN children’s agency, more than 35,000 cases of sexual violence against children were recorded in the first nine months of 2025, mostly in North and South Kivu provinces where M23 remains active.
Ongoing conflict in the region has forced nearly two million people in South Kivu alone to flee their homes in search of safety.