AFC/M23 coalition has strongly rejected United Nations reports accusing it of playing a role in the deaths of many civilians in the Rutshuru Territory, calling the contents of these reports “blatant lies.”
This rejection of the reports specifically from the UN Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) was made public in a statement released by Lawrence Kanyuka, the Political Spokesperson for AFC/M23, on Thursday, August 7, 2025.
The reports, which were published on July 28 and August 6, 2025, claim that AFC/M23 was responsible for the deaths of 488 people, 169 in the first report and 319 in the second. Kanyuka stated that the coalition “strongly condemns these false accusations” and everything they contain.
Kanyuka went on to say that the contents of the reports align with a biased narrative adopted by some UN bodies “that have chosen to be partial and to spread falsehoods without any evidence.”
Pointing out the lack of evidence in these reports, Kanyuka stated “The areas mentioned in the report (Kanyakiri, Kigaligali, Dubai, Katanga, Lubumbashi, Kasave, Kakoro, and Busesa) are within Virunga National Park, a restricted area where farming is prohibited. How could farmers be killed in areas where farming is not allowed?”
He further accused UNJHRO of spreading unverified information: “UNJHRO released information without conducting any due diligence or verifying its accuracy. This UN body, based in Kinshasa, broadcasts information given to it by the Congolese government instead of independently investigating.”
Regarding the OHCHR report, Kanyuka argued that the main sources of testimony in that document were Wazalendo, FDLR, RUD Urunana, and the Youth Council of Rutshuru Territory. He criticized this heavily, saying: “It is a disgrace that such reports rely on information provided by these individuals, including armed groups that are constantly killing people.”
He added: “How can organizations that are not even present in the liberated areas provide credible information? We demand an independent investigation and that the organizations that issued these reports be summoned to participate.”
The AFC/M23 spokesperson also claimed that the reports are driven by hidden agendas and those behind them, as they overlook ongoing killings of the Banyamulenge people in South Kivu and the Hema people in Ituri Province, allegedly committed by the Kinshasa government and its allies.
Kanyuka concluded by demanding that these organizations “withdraw the reports and publicly apologize to all affected individuals.” He also called for “an independent investigation.
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