Massacre of 141 Villagers Reported in Eastern Congo Despite Trump-Backed Peace Talks with M23 Rebels
In the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Human Rights Watch has reported that M23 rebels, allegedly backed by Rwanda, are responsible for the deaths of 141 villagers in July. These massacres occurred across at least 14 villages in North Kivu province during the period spanning July 10 to 30.
The attacks primarily targeted ethnic Hutu villagers and appear to be part of a military campaign by M23 against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an extremist militia. The DRC has experienced ongoing armed conflict for over three decades, dating back to the aftermath of the 1994 genocide in neighboring Rwanda. Millions of Hutu refugees, including extremists, fled into Congo following the collapse of the Hutu-dominated regime, leading to years of war and instability that continue today.
The United Nations (UN), the US, and several regional governments accuse the M23 rebellion, which originated from Tutsi-led militias in the region, of serving Rwanda’s interests as a proxy force. The scale of these recent killings in North Kivu may be underreported, with Human Rights Watch documenting 141 deaths and the UN announcing at least 319 fatalities in early August based on evidence gathered by their rights investigators.
Both Rwanda and M23 have challenged the authenticity of these findings. The M23 rebellion, which recommenced major armed operations late last year after a prolonged lull, is led by Congolese Tutsis with the support of smaller neighboring country Rwanda.
Since early this year, the violence has intensified significantly. M23 fighters and Rwandan troops captured Goma and Bukavu, eastern DRC’s two largest cities, in a swift offensive. The potential threat of M23 overthrowing the Congolese government and the risk of regional conflict in Central Africa prompted the Trump administration to exert pressure on both Congo and Rwanda to end hostilities.
In June, Congolese and Rwandan leaders signed a peace agreement in Washington, which outlines the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from DRC territory and the dismantling of the FDLR militia—a group that Rwanda views as an existential threat. However, since then, there has been minimal progress on the ground in eastern DRC, contradicting President Trump’s repeated assertions to the contrary.
On July 28, during a conversation with Fox News, Trump stated, “I’ve ended wars that have gone on for 35 years…the Congo and Rwanda, that was 31 years. I think, 8 million people dead with machetes. A lot of machete deaths. They walk in. The machetes are swinging all over the place.”
Apart from negotiations with M23 rebels, the Congolese government is also engaged in talks. In late July, both sides signed a “declaration of principles” in Doha, Qatar, which aims to establish a ceasefire and eventually lead to a permanent peace agreement. However, clashes between the M23 and Congolese military have resumed recently, raising concerns about the fragility of the peace process.
On Tuesday, the Congolese army accused the M23 of launching “incessant attacks” on their positions, allegedly in violation of both the Washington peace accord and the Doha declaration of principles. The M23 countered by claiming that the Congolese army was conducting systematic, criminal attacks using kamikaze drones and heavy artillery against densely populated areas.
On Wednesday, Congo’s foreign ministry stated that the civilian massacres reported by Human Rights Watch and the UN “cast a grave shadow over the sincerity and commitment of stakeholders to the Washington peace agreement and the ongoing Doha talks.”