“Death was everywhere”: Report alleges mass forced recruitment, executions and abuse in Eastern DR Congo

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KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) — A new 85-page report by Human Rights Watch has laid out some of the most serious allegations yet regarding the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, accusing the M23 rebel movement and members of the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) of carrying out a systematic campaign of arbitrary detention, forced recruitment, summary executions and widespread abuse across North and South Kivu.

The report arrives as the conflict in eastern Congo evolves into one of Africa’s most complex humanitarian and geopolitical crises, involving military, ethnic, economic and regional dimensions that extend far beyond the country’s borders.

The fall of Goma and Bukavu reshaped the war

According to Human Rights Watch, after M23 fighters captured the strategic cities of Goma and Bukavu in early 2025, thousands of Congolese soldiers, police officers, militia members and civilians were detained and transferred to military training centers in Rumangabo and Tshanzu, both located in Rutshuru territory.

Investigators say many of those detained did not join voluntarily. Instead, they were allegedly rounded up during operations targeting streets, schools, churches, hospitals and private homes.

Human Rights Watch estimates that during a single operation in January 2025, at least 11 trucks transported approximately 1,700 people to detention and training facilities. Images analyzed by the organization show hundreds of men packed into heavy transport vehicles under armed escort.

Children among the victims

One of the report’s most alarming findings is the alleged recruitment and detention of children.

Researchers documented cases involving minors as young as 12 years old who were subjected to military training, forced labor and ideological indoctrination. Former detainees reported that young people were often accused of collaborating with government forces or local militias before being sent to training camps.

The recruitment and use of children in armed conflict constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law and may amount to a war crime.

“Those who tried to escape were executed”

Witness testimonies collected by Human Rights Watch describe extreme conditions inside the Rumangabo and Tshanzu camps.

Former detainees said they witnessed summary executions of individuals who attempted to escape, drank water without authorization or committed minor disciplinary infractions. Others described routine beatings, severe hunger, dehydration and virtually no access to medical care.

“Bodies were removed every day,” one survivor reportedly told investigators.

While the exact death toll remains unknown, Human Rights Watch believes that hundreds of people may have died as a result of detention conditions, beatings and executions throughout 2025.

Rwanda at the center of allegations

The report devotes significant attention to Rwanda’s alleged involvement in the conflict.

Former detainees identified what they described as Rwandan military personnel at the training centers, citing uniforms, language, equipment and military procedures. Many said training sessions were conducted primarily in English and Kinyarwanda, Rwanda’s national language.

Human Rights Watch argues that Rwanda’s military presence in eastern Congo has reached a level that could constitute effective occupation under international humanitarian law. If proven, Rwandan officials could face international legal responsibility for actions committed by forces operating under their influence or control.

A humanitarian crisis of historic proportions

The conflict in eastern Congo has already generated one of the world’s largest displacement crises.

By the end of 2024, an estimated 7.8 million people had been displaced across the country, nearly half of them children. In North Kivu alone, more than 2.4 million people were forced to flee their homes amid fighting involving M23 forces, government troops and various armed groups.

Regional analysts warn that continued instability could further destabilize the Great Lakes region, affecting neighboring Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and beyond.

International criminal court under growing pressure

The report’s findings come as the International Criminal Court (ICC) continues investigations into alleged crimes committed in eastern Congo since January 2022. At the same time, the Democratic Republic of Congo has brought legal proceedings before African judicial bodies, accusing Rwanda of supporting M23 military operations.

Human Rights Watch is calling for independent investigations, the exhumation of suspected mass graves and criminal accountability for all those responsible, regardless of rank or position.

The future of a region still at war

Despite peace agreements signed throughout 2025, clashes continue across parts of North and South Kivu.

For millions of Congolese civilians, the promise of lasting peace remains elusive.

As regional leaders pursue diplomatic solutions, the testimonies documented by Human Rights Watch paint a devastating portrait of a population trapped between armed groups, geopolitical rivalries and a war that shows few signs of ending.

In the heart of Central Africa, where some of the world’s most valuable mineral resources coexist alongside one of the 21st century’s most severe humanitarian crises, the question remains stark:

How many more lives will be lost before peace becomes more than a promise?

Source: Human Rights Watch, “Death Was Everywhere: Arbitrary Detention, Killings, and Forced Recruitment by the M23 and the Rwanda Defence Force” (June 2026).