AFC/M23 warns of Kinshasa’s ongoing targeting of civilians in the DR Congo conflict

The Kinshasa dictatorship and its coalition forces have been forewarned by the Congolese AFC/M23 group about the continuation of attacks on civilian populations, which they claim seriously jeopardize the truce that the parties have promised to.

Citing recent bombs of villages in the Minembwe region of South Kivu, the group stated in a statement that the government alliance, which also includes the genocidal FDLR militia, was using fighter jets and attack drones against vulnerable civilian communities.

The group reaffirmed its commitment to a political settlement of the war in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo in a statement released on February 25 by Lawrence Kanyuka, the group’s communication focal point.

Increase in the military

In order to give regional peace initiatives a chance, the AFC/M23, which has since taken control of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, including the cities of Goma and Bukavu, stressed that it is still adhering to the unilateral ceasefire it announced on February 4 and reiterated on February 22.

Kanyuka asserted, however, that the Burundian National Defense Force (FNDB), the FDLR, Wazalendo militias, the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC), and the Kinshasa administration are actively rebuilding for a full-scale conflict.

Rusizi Plain, Walikale, Massi, and Lubero have all seen signs of this military build-up, including the deployment of troops, the provision of equipment, and the reorganization of units.

“The Kinshasa regime and its coalition continue to target civilian populations, using fighter jets and attack drones against defenseless communities despite the ongoing ceasefire,” the statement said.

Irundu and Nyarujoka are two of the Minembwe villages that were bombarded on February 25, according to AFC/M23, leaving innocent villagers terrified and devastated. According to the NGO, the Banyamulenge community in Uvira town is being persecuted more severely, with daily complaints of enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, and other human rights abuses.

AFC/M23 denounced these actions as serious transgressions of international humanitarian law and human rights. The group also criticized what it called the selective approach taken by the international community to dealing with these kinds of crimes.

According to the statement, “the AFC/M23 warns that the confrontational stance of the Congolese government threatens to escalate the conflict, undermining ongoing peace efforts at the EAC and SADC levels.” “The silence and inaction of key stakeholders only embolden the perpetrators and further jeopardize civilian lives,” the statement adds. The Congolese government and its coalition will bear full responsibility for any further deterioration of the situation.

Regional leaders pursuing a ceasefire were encouraged by AFC/M23 to act quickly and hold the DRC government responsible for its “reckless” and provocative acts.