Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and a local civil society group have reported the discovery of mass graves in eastern regions recently vacated by the M23 rebel group, highlighting ongoing instability despite a United States-mediated peace initiative.
Jean Jacques Purusi, governor of South Kivu province, told The Associated Press on Thursday that officials had identified two mass graves containing at least 171 bodies in the Kiromoni and Kavimvira neighbourhoods near Uvira.
“At this stage, we have identified two sites: one mass grave containing approximately 30 bodies in Kiromoni, not far from the Burundian border on the Congolese side, and another in Kavimvira where 141 bodies were found,” Purusi said.
The Executive Secretariat of the Local Network for the Protection of Civilians, a civil society organization in the region, stated that it attempted to visit the sites but was blocked by the Congolese military. Yves Ramadhani, the group’s vice president, said evidence points to the victims being killed by M23 rebels, allegedly due to suspicions that they were affiliated with the DRC army or pro-government militias.
Both the DRC military and M23 have faced accusations of extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses, though Al Jazeera and other media outlets could not independently verify the claims.
The M23 rebel group is among over 100 armed factions contesting control of mineral-rich areas in eastern DRC near the Rwandan border. The conflict has persisted for over a decade, with major escalations in 2012, 2021, and again in 2025, including the seizure of Goma and Bukavu. In December, M23 took control of Uvira, an offensive that reportedly killed more than 1,500 people and displaced roughly 300,000.
“The rebel group later announced it would withdraw from the city in what it described as a ‘unilateral trust-building measure’ requested by the US to facilitate the peace process,” the governor noted.
M23 claims to be defending the rights of the minority Tutsi community, which it says has been marginalized by the state. Meanwhile, the DRC government has condemned the group and Rwanda for allegedly supporting the rebellion and exploiting local resources.
Despite ongoing peace negotiations mediated by the United States and Qatar, fighting continues across eastern DRC. The conflict has created one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, displacing more than seven million people and leaving thousands dead. The situation is further compounded by incidents such as the collapse of the Rubaya coltan mine last month, which claimed over 200 lives.
The discovery of mass graves underscores the urgent need for international attention, strengthened security measures, and accountability for atrocities committed amid the region’s protracted conflict.
