'They shot my neighbour in the head' - the lakeside city traumatised by war

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. 'They shot my neighbour in the head' - the lakeside city traumatised by war2 hours ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleThomas MukhwanaBBC News ReutersConflict in eastern DR Congo has caused a massive humanitarian crisisSummary executions and rape were among the atrocities committed by the M23 rebel group and Rwandan soldiers during their weeks-long occupation of the lakeside city of Uvira in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an investigation by a leading rights group has found. Human Rights Watch (HRW) says its investigators found evidence of the execution of 53 civilians - 46 men, one woman and six children - during door-to-door raids in the city's neighbourhoods after the rebels, widely believed to be backed by Rwanda, captured it in December. Rwanda has consistently denied that it supports that M23 or that its own soldiers have been deployed to resource-rich eastern DR Congo.

But HRW says many of the interviewees alleged witnessing atrocities committed by uniformed Rwandan soldiers as well as M23 fighters. "They shot my neighbour first in the head," said one of the 130 residents interviewed by HRW. Another said he saw four members of his family killed.

The Details

"I wasn't hit so I just ran to the lake. I saw my brother, his wife, and two of his children fall," he was quoted as saying. The M23 and Rwandan government have not yet responded to a request for comment.

Warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual violenceThe M23 captured Uvira - which lies on the shores of Lake Tanganyika - days after US President Donald Trump brokered a peace deal between DR Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame in a bid to end the devastating conflict in the resource-rich region. The US and European powers accuse Rwanda - which borders eastern DR Congo - of supporting the rebel offensive. UN experts have accused Rwanda of having "de facto control" of the M23's operations.

They said M23 recruits were trained under Rwandan supervision and supported by high-tech Rwandan weaponry. ReutersGovernment forces have regained control of some territory in eastern DR Congo following the withdrawal of rebel fightersThe M23 withdrew from Uvira - the gateway to Burundi, a key military ally of DR Congo - in January following intense diplomatic pressure. The HRW report is the first detailed study of what happened in the city when it was under M23 control.

What Experts Say

Tens of thousands of people fled their homes when the group seized control of it. HRW says it documented eight cases of rape allegedly committed by the rebels and Rwandan soldiers during the occupation. "They took my clothes off completely, tied my arms behind my back with my clothes, and raped me," a woman is quoted as saying in the report.

She added that when her husband attempted to intervene, he was shot dead. HRW says it wrote in April to both the Rwandan government and M23 leaders for a response to the allegations in its report, but, it adds, neither replied.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.