Fall of eastern DRC city to rebels puts civilians at risk - HRW
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) – The Rwandan forces and M23 armed group that captured the city of Uvira in South Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on 10 December, 2025, have put civilians at grave risk of abuse, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Monday.
These forces and the Congolese military and its allies should facilitate safe passage for civilians fleeing the fighting and ensure that humanitarian aid reaches all those in need, the human rights watchdog said in a statement.
Late on 9 December, the M23 and Rwandan forces entered Uvira after week-long fighting that pushed out Congolese and Burundian military forces and a coalition of militias known as the Wazalendo, it said.
The use of attack drones, large caliber artillery, and other weapons resulted in at least 74 civilian deaths and 83 wounded, according to the UN and media reports. The UN said that about 200,000 people have fled the fighting, including over 30,000 who crossed into Burundi.
“The Washington Accords addressing the situation in eastern Congo have not resulted in greater security or access to assistance for civilians near Uvira in South Kivu,” said Clementine de Montjoye, senior Great Lakes researcher at HRW.
“The warring parties are continuing to commit atrocities and hinder humanitarian assistance and should be held to account.”
The statement said the humanitarian situation in Uvira and its vicinity is “dire”. Hospitals and health centres have been overwhelmed at a time when humanitarian assistance has dropped because of lack of access and funding shortfalls.
HRW quoted refugees in Burundi as saying they were they were receiving little to no assistance. The UN World Food Programme has suspended its assistance across South Kivu.
HRW asked Rwandan and M23 authorities to guarantee access to items essential for people’s survival, such as water, food, and medicine.
HRW said UN and military sources reported that several thousand Rwandan soldiers, including special forces, crossed the border into DRC in recent weeks.
During the first week of December, Rwandan and M23 forces captured towns and villages on the road to Uvira, including Luvungi, Mutarule, and Sange.
The statement said concerns for the safety of civilians in South Kivu have been heightened by rising tensions and grave violations of international humanitarian law by the parties to the conflict.
After capturing Goma and Bukavu, the provincial capitals of North and South Kivu, in early 2025, M23 fighters carried out widespread abuses, including summary executions, forced recruitment drives, and sexual violence. The M23 also unlawfully transferred DRC citizens and Rwandan refugees to Rwanda.
The statement said several human rights defenders and journalists in Uvira and newly occupied territories have expressed concern that they will face retaliation for their work, as did others after the capture of Goma and Bukavu.
HRW urged the United States, European Union, and African Union to increase humanitarian assistance and press the governments of Burundi, Congo, and Rwanda to prioritise protecting civilians, ensure humanitarian access, and provide safe passage for civilians seeking to flee the flighting.
The US and EU should also urgently adopt new targeted sanctions against Rwandan officials responsible for, or complicit in, violations of international law, while swiftly reviewing their cooperation with Rwanda—including in the security and minerals sectors—to ensure they are not fueling further abuses.
Governments should also press countries in the region to facilitate access to the newly created UN Commission of Inquiry on eastern Congo to carry out vital evidence collection and documentation. They should call for an end to the impunity and take action to ensure that commanders and officials responsible for serious human rights violations are held accountable, the statement said.
HRW urged parties to the Washington Accords to beyond condemnation and take strong action to enforce compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law.
“The situation facing South Kivu’s civilians is becoming increasingly perilous and the humanitarian needs are enormous,” de Montjoye said. “Unless those responsible for abuses face serious consequences, given the events of the past year, the worst may be yet to come.”
-0- PANA MA 15Dec2025
