HRW Documents M23 and Rwandan Army Killings, Rapes, and Abductions During Uvira Occupation

Human Rights Watch released a report on May 14 documenting 53 summary executions, eight rapes, and 12 enforced disappearances committed by M23 rebels and the Rwanda Defence Force during their capture and occupation of Uvira in South Kivu province from December 10 2025 to January 17 2026. Fighters shot at fleeing civilians and went door-to-door targeting men and boys accused of links to government-backed militias. The report is based on over 120 interviews with survivors and witnesses conducted in March and April 2026, and comes after Washington imposed sanctions on the Rwandan Defence Force in March.