The NGO Human Rights Watch has accused the Rwandan army and the M23 armed group of "indiscriminately bombing" displacement camps around Goma, the capital of North Kivu, as unrest in the eastern DRC intensifies.
Since M23 captured Sake and moved closer to Goma earlier this year, artillery and rocket fire have hit camps and densely populated areas around the city at least five times, the organisation said.
The fighting around Goma has seen both sides commit abuses, including killing and raping civilians and blocking humanitarian aid, according to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report published on 26 September.
The violence has affected over half a million displaced people seeking shelter in the area.
In January 2024, the Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) and M23 advanced towards Sake, cutting off key supply routes to Goma, which is just 25 kilometres away.
Since then, M23, backed by Rwanda, has gained more control in North Kivu, marking its largest territorial expansion since resurfacing in 2021, HRW said.
On 3 May, between 10 and 11am, at least three rockets hit camps 15 kilometres west of Goma. HRW reports that the shelling came from positions held by the Rwandan army and M23 northwest of Sake in the DRC. Seventeen civilians were killed, including 15 children.
"As fighting between Rwandan and Congolese forces with their allied militias, edges closer to Goma, civilians and displaced populations are increasingly trapped in the crossfire and deprived of vital aid," said Clémentine de Montjoye, an Africa researcher with HRW.
"Both Rwanda and Congo must cease support for armed groups that violate the laws of war and ensure the protection of civilians."
Between May and July 2024, HRW researchers visited several camps around Goma, including Bulengo, Bushagara, and Mugunga, interviewing 65 people, including survivors and witnesses. They also reviewed satellite images, photos, and videos of the attacks to analyse artillery positions and assess the damage to civilian areas.
HRW submitted its findings to both Rwandan and Congolese authorities but did not receive a response.
As the violence escalates, the number of displaced people in North Kivu has soared to about 2.4 million. The use of heavy artillery by the Rwandan military and M23 rebels has led to indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas, raising concerns about violations of international humanitarian law.
In August, Médecins Sans Frontières reported that more than one in 10 young women in Goma’s displacement camps had been raped between November 2023 and April 2024, with that figure reaching 17 percent in some camps.
(with newswires)
