DR Congo rebels killed 140 civilians despite peace process, rights group says

Human Rights Watch reports that M23 rebels killed at least 140 people in eastern DR Congo’s Rutshuru area in July, with total deaths possibly exceeding 300. Witnesses said the Rwanda-backed group executed civilians, including women and children, using guns and machetes, and forced mass burials or left bodies uncollected. The massacre occurred during M23’s campaign against the Hutu FDLR militia, despite ongoing peace efforts brokered by the US and Qatar. The UN has also accused Rwanda’s army of supporting the killings, claims Kigali denies. Fighting between M23 and government forces has displaced hundreds of thousands, and peace talks remain stalled as violence intensifies, the BBC has reported. HRW has urged stronger international action, including sanctions and prosecutions of those responsible.