Goma : FARDC accuses M23 of serious human rights violations, which the rebel group denies

The Congolese army accused the M23 on Wednesday of using civilians as human shields in the fighting between this rebel group and the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo), the Congolese army and its allied militias. The M23 rejects these allegations while accusing the loyalist army and its supporters of dropping bombs in densely populated areas.

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These new allegations are contained in a press release from the spokesperson for the Sokola 1 operational sector, Lieutenant Colonel Mak Hazukay. According to him, several young Congolese (civilians) are sent to the front line. The Congolese army claims that these young civilians are in uniform of the Rwandan army.

“The deployment of these young Congolese civilians dressed in military fatigues of the Rwandan army is done with the aim of serving as cannon fodder during the fighting,” specifies the document signed by Lieutenant Colonel Mak Hazukay.

“This method consists of exploiting the vulnerability of civilians to protect rebel fighters, making any military intervention difficult and risky,” the statement continues.

The Congolese army speaks of an “immoral tactic violating the principles of international humanitarian law.”

The FARDC also accuses M23 rebels of “trenching themselves in churches, schools and hospitals” in order to avoid military intervention.

Reaction of the M23

Lieutenant Colonel Willy Ngoma, military spokesman for the M23, dismissed these accusations out of hand. He speaks of maneuvers by the Congolese army aimed at “tarnishing the image of our army”.

“The Congolese armed forces are seeking to harm the image of the M23 by all means. They want to incite the population liberated by our soldiers to turn their backs on the M23. Their intention is always to divide Congolese citizens. But we are concerned about the security and well-being of civilians in the liberated areas”, reacted Willy Ngoma.

Since the cancellation of the Luanda summit on December 15,

, the M23 has already seized several villages in the province of North Kivu where clashes continue, with the Congolese army and its allied militias trying to retake them.

And in a statement he shared with SOS Médias Burundi on Thursday, Lawrence Kanyuka, AFC communication focal point, accused the FARDC of dropping bombs in densely populated areas.

“The coalition forces of the Kinshasa regime are using MONUSCO (UN Mission in the DRC) drones as well as the reconnaissance data collected by the latter to bomb densely populated areas and our posts. In this regard, we will reiterate our right to take all necessary measures to defend ourselves against all these acts of belligerent collaboration,” the statement said.

“Our organization reaffirms its solidarity with civilian populations and reiterates its
unwavering commitment to protect them, while defending our posts against attacks by coalition forces,” he concluded.

The M23 is affiliated with the AFC, the Congo River Alliance, a political-military movement led by Corneille Nangaa, the former president of the Independent National Electoral Commission CENI, who has vowed to overthrow the regime of Félix Tshisekedi.

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An M23 rebel during the capture of the city of Bunagana, on the border with Uganda and which has become the rebel headquarters, June 2022 (SOS Médias Burundi)