The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has dismissed the allegations by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) that Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) “aided” in the killing of hundreds of civilians by the AFC/M23 rebel group in eastern DR Congo. In a joint report released on August 6, the UN Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) and OHCHR alleged that the rebels killed 319 civilians and injured 169 others across four villages in Rutshuru Territory between July 9 and 21. The report further claimed that the RDF, allegedly backing the rebels, “aided” in the killings. ALSO READ: Survivors of Gatumba massacre demand justice 21 years on Responding to the accusations, the foreign affairs ministry issued a statement on Monday, August 11, refuting the accusations, referring to them as baseless. “OHCHR alleges, without any evidence, corroboration or reported motives, that the RDF aided in the killing of 319 civilians,” the ministry said. “The gratuitous inclusion of the RDF in these allegations is unacceptable and brings into question the credibility of OHCHR and its methodology.” The statement further noted that the false accusations against RDF risk derailing ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring peace in DR Congo. “In a context where the United Nations [MONUSCO] has long failed to protect civilians affected by insecurity, OHCHR’s sensational allegations risk undermining the ongoing processes for peaceful resolution of the conflict in DR Congo,” the statement read. Earlier on, the AFC/M23 also published a statement dismissing OHCHR’s claims, calling them unverified and politically motivated. “The areas cited in the report, Kanyakiri, Kigaligali, Dubai, Katanga, Lubumbashi, Kasave, Kakoro, and Busesa are within Virunga National Park, a protected zone where agricultural activity is strictly prohibited,” the statement read. “How could farmers have been massacred in nonexistent farmlands? This glaring inconsistency proves that the UNJHRO relayed unverified information, violating its investigative standards,” it went on. The movement’s spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka, said the accusations “categorically reject the unfounded allegations,” arguing that the UN’s assertions “lack factual backing, are methodologically flawed, and reflect unjustifiable bias.” The movement accused UNJHRO’s Kinshasa-based office of relying heavily on “regime-aligned sources” and publishing the report without independent verification.
