Geneva: Fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has claimed the lives of approximately 7,000 people since January, including both combatants and civilians, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa revealed during a high-level meeting of the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday.
Suminwa reported that about 3,000 of these deaths occurred in Goma, a strategic city in North Kivu province. Additionally, around 450,000 people have been displaced after 90 camps housing internally displaced persons (IDPs) were destroyed in the ongoing violence.
Since the beginning of the year, the M23 rebel group has made significant territorial gains, capturing key cities such as Goma and Bukavu, along with mineral-rich areas in eastern Congo. The DRC government has consistently accused Rwanda of backing M23, a charge also supported by reports from the United Nations and several Western nations. Kigali, however, denies any involvement, rejecting allegations that it provides arms and troops to the rebels.
About 7,000 people have been killed in conflict-ridden eastern Congo since January, the prime minister told a high-level meeting of the Human Rights Council in Geneva https://t.co/YGOk7DOatA pic.twitter.com/vYlYEfTnQL
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 24, 2025
The conflict, rooted in long-standing disputes over power, identity, and resources, has escalated dramatically in recent months. Its origins trace back to the 1990s, following the Rwandan genocide, when armed groups and militias proliferated across the region.
Suminwa called for urgent international action, urging world leaders to impose “dissuasive sanctions” on Rwanda to curb the ongoing violence, which has led to mass displacements and reports of summary executions.
“It is impossible to describe the screams and cries of millions of victims of this conflict,” she stated.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also addressed the Geneva meeting, warning that human rights were being “suffocated” globally and specifically highlighted the atrocities occurring in the DRC.
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In a press briefing after her speech, Suminwa cautioned that failure to address the violations of Congo’s territorial integrity could lead to further destabilization.
“If this question of the violation of territorial integrity isn’t resolved, the situation could degenerate,” she told Reuters.
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The humanitarian crisis has intensified, with the UN reporting on Friday that about 40,000 Congolese refugees have fled to neighboring Burundi in just two weeks to escape the violence.
Suminwa also warned that the security situation, involving M23 and other armed groups, could spill over into neighboring countries, potentially destabilizing the wider region.
