Bunia, DRC Seventy-five soldiers of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been brought before a military court, accused of abandoning their posts during intense clashes with M23 movement in South Kivu.
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The trial commenced on Monday, February 10, 2025, in Bunia, the administrative headquarters of North Kivu province. According to the prosecutor’s office, the soldiers face charges of crimes against civilians, including murder and looting.
The United Nations recently reported that at the end of last month, as M23 movement advanced towards Goma, numerous human rights violations were committed. These included extrajudicial killings of suspected criminals, sexual violence against women, and instances of sexual slavery.
The 75 soldiers currently on trial were arrested after fleeing combat when M23 captured Nyabibwe in Kalehe territory. Reports indicate that additional soldiers have also been detained in the southern regions on similar charges and are expected to face justice soon.
A civil society organization in Kavumu, a town approximately 27 kilometers from Bukavu, reported that on the evening of Friday, February 7, fleeing soldiers killed ten people, including seven found in a local bar. The organization further alleged that, beyond these killings, the soldiers looted homes in the aftermath of their retreat from M23.
The Kinshasa government maintains that M23 is backed by Rwanda, an accusation both Rwanda and the rebel group have denied.
In an effort to de-escalate the conflict, heads of state from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) convened in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Saturday, February 8. The leaders urged both warring parties to engage in peace talks and seek a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing crisis.
