Rwandan forces and M23 rebels have been accused by Human Rights Watch of shelling refugee camps and densely populated areas in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) multiple times this year. The NGO also alleged that the DRC’s armed forces and allied militias put residents at risk by stationing their artillery near the camps, thereby violating international humanitarian and human rights laws. The ongoing conflict between regional armies and rebels in eastern DRC has resulted in millions of deaths and displacements over several decades.
Most of those displaced reside in the eastern provinces, including North Kivu, where M23, with support from the Rwandan army, has gained control over many areas. As a result, more than half a million people have been forced into camps near Goma, the capital of North Kivu.
Human Rights Watch conducted interviews with 65 witnesses, camp authorities, and victims of abuses across six displacement camps around Goma for their report. They also consulted 31 humanitarian, diplomatic, UN, and military sources while analyzing photos/videos of attack sites as well as satellite imagery.
The researchers discovered five instances since January where Rwandan and M23 forces fired artillery or rockets at displacement camps or nearby inhabited places. In one incident in May at the 8ème Cepac camp, at least 17 civilians were killed (mostly children) when three rockets were fired by either Rwandan or M23 forces. The report also claimed that members o
