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Mass Graves Left Behind by M23 Rebels Discovered in DRC
(MENAFN) Authorities in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo announced Thursday the discovery of two mass graves in South Kivu province, uncovered in areas recently vacated by M23 rebels near the city of Uvira.
Provincial governor Jean-Jacques Purusi confirmed that the graves, holding at least 170 bodies, were found in the Kiromoni and Kavimvira neighborhoods on Uvira's outskirts. He told reporters the victims are believed to have been killed by the M23 rebel group on suspicion of collaborating with government forces and pro-government militias.
"We have so far discovered two sites. One contained about 30 bodies in Kiromoni towards the Congo-Burundi border and another in Kavimvira containing 141 bodies," Purusi said.
Local authorities were alerted to the sites by residents who detected a foul odor after recent heavy rains partially exposed the graves. Civil society leaders separately reported the discovery of a third mass grave in the town of Sange, approximately 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from Uvira, where 10 additional bodies were recovered.
The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23), the rebel alliance that includes M23 fighters, had not issued any immediate response to the findings.
The group seized Uvira — a strategically significant border city — in December before withdrawing under international pressure days later. In January, Human Rights Watch accused the rebels of intimidating and harassing civilians perceived as hostile to their insurgency during the occupation.
The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) is set to deploy forces to Uvira to monitor a ceasefire between Congo's government and AFC/M23 rebels, a UN official confirmed earlier this month.
The M23 rebel group — backed by neighboring Rwanda according to the UN and Western governments — holds considerable territory across eastern Congo, including the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu, both seized in early 2025.
Provincial governor Jean-Jacques Purusi confirmed that the graves, holding at least 170 bodies, were found in the Kiromoni and Kavimvira neighborhoods on Uvira's outskirts. He told reporters the victims are believed to have been killed by the M23 rebel group on suspicion of collaborating with government forces and pro-government militias.
"We have so far discovered two sites. One contained about 30 bodies in Kiromoni towards the Congo-Burundi border and another in Kavimvira containing 141 bodies," Purusi said.
Local authorities were alerted to the sites by residents who detected a foul odor after recent heavy rains partially exposed the graves. Civil society leaders separately reported the discovery of a third mass grave in the town of Sange, approximately 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) from Uvira, where 10 additional bodies were recovered.
The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23), the rebel alliance that includes M23 fighters, had not issued any immediate response to the findings.
The group seized Uvira — a strategically significant border city — in December before withdrawing under international pressure days later. In January, Human Rights Watch accused the rebels of intimidating and harassing civilians perceived as hostile to their insurgency during the occupation.
The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) is set to deploy forces to Uvira to monitor a ceasefire between Congo's government and AFC/M23 rebels, a UN official confirmed earlier this month.
The M23 rebel group — backed by neighboring Rwanda according to the UN and Western governments — holds considerable territory across eastern Congo, including the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu, both seized in early 2025.
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