On Wednesday, United Nations human rights chief Volker Türk condemned the recent surge in deadly attacks by the Rwandan-backed M23 and other armed groups against civilians in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, DR Congo). According to the UN human rights office (OHCHR), at least 490 civilians were killed in these attacks in July alone.
The humanitarian situation in the DRC has deteriorated drastically in the first half of the year as the conflict in the east rages on. Despite recent peace commitments in Doha and Washington and an agreed-upon ceasefire between the M23 and the DRC government, active fighting continues in the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri.
According to firsthand accounts obtained by OHCHR, the M23 killed at least 319 civilians between July 9 and 21 in four villages in the Rutshuru territory in North Kivu. This is one of the largest documented death tolls in such attacks since the M23’s resurgence in 2022.
Most of the victims, including at least 48 women and 19 children, were local farmers camping in their fields during the planting season.
“I am appalled by the attacks on civilians by the M23 and other armed groups in eastern DRC amid continued fighting, despite the ceasefire that was recently signed in Doha,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Türk said.
“All attacks against civilians must stop immediately, and all those responsible must be held to account.”
Türk also condemned attacks against civilians by other armed groups. In July, OHCHR documented multiple such attacks in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri provinces, including those carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) and the Coopérative pour le Développement du Congo (CODECO) armed groups.
On July 27, ADF members killed at least 40 Christian worshippers, including 13 children, in an attack during Sunday prayers in Komanda village in Ituri Province. The attackers also burned down at least 27 shops, four homes, and three cars. Around 30,000 people were forced to flee their homes in search of safety due to the violence.
Earlier, on July 12, the armed group killed six men, one woman, and a boy in an attack in Otmaber village, Ituri, during which it also set multiple homes on fire. On July 9, ADF fighters killed at least 70 civilians in Pikamaibo village, also in Ituri.
In Irumu territory, a series of attacks attributed to the ADF between July 26 and August 2 claimed the lives of at least 50 civilians. The deadliest incident occurred in Komanda on July 26-27, where 43 civilians were killed.
On July 21, CODECO members killed three civilians and injured another in Lopa village in Ituri. Eight women were raped by members of the Raia Mutomboki/Wazalendo armed group in Busolo village in South Kivu on July 27.
The High Commissioner renewed his call for all parties involved in the conflicts in eastern DRC to protect civilians from harm and uphold their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.
Türk urged all signatories of the recently signed Declaration of Principles to commit to the peace process in good faith and act decisively to end cycles of recurring violence.
On July 19, 2025, the DRC government and the M23 group signed a Declaration of Principles in Qatar, agreeing to a ceasefire and further negotiations toward a comprehensive agreement. Representatives of the government and the rebels signed the agreement in Doha, the capital of Qatar, to pave the way for a peace deal scheduled for finalization in August.
This followed the signing of a peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda in Washington, D.C., in the United States, on June 27, 2025.
However, meaningful progress on the ground has been limited, leaving the affected communities in a state of deep uncertainty.
“I urge the signatories and facilitators of both the Doha and Washington agreements to ensure that they rapidly translate into safety, security and real progress for civilians in the DRC, who continue to endure the devastating consequences of these conflicts,” Türk said.
Humanitarian conditions in eastern DRC continue to be dire, with ongoing reports of clashes. Since early January, escalating conflict and intensified attacks by the M23 rebel group in the provinces of North and South Kivu have caused more than 7,000 deaths — displacing over 7 million people and forcing 1.8 million to return home — exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and straining already scarce resources.
The M23 is one of over 130 armed groups primarily operating in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri, competing for control of valuable mineral resources, including gold, diamonds, uranium, copper, coltan, and cobalt — key components in batteries for electric cars, cell phones, and other electronics.
Meanwhile, a severe lack of humanitarian funding endangers the lives of millions in DR Congo. Many aid agencies have been forced to scale back their operations, disrupting critical services for those in urgent need.
This year's full Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for DRC aims to assist 11 million of the most vulnerable people in need of aid across the country, at a cost of US$2.54 billion. However, only $360 million — 14 percent — has been raised to date, despite the escalating needs resulting from the crisis in the east.
According to UN officials, the conflict in the eastern region has reached levels not seen in three decades. The deteriorating situation has exacerbated one of the world's largest and most underreported humanitarian crises, with over 21 million people in need of assistance nationwide.
While the violence has displaced millions within Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, it has also forced some 150,000 people to flee to neighboring countries, primarily Burundi and Uganda.
Conflict, economic instability, and rising food prices are putting millions of Congolese at risk of a deepening food crisis. An estimated 27.7 million people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or worse), including about 3.9 million experiencing emergency levels of hunger (IPC Phase 4).
The hunger situation has deteriorated significantly in the four eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, and Tanganyika. More than 10.3 million people in these provinces are experiencing crisis levels of food insecurity or worse, including 2.3 million facing emergency levels (IPC Phase 4).
Furthermore, the country is plagued by major health emergencies, including measles, mpox, and cholera. Since the start of 2025, DRC has seen a concerning surge in epidemics, especially measles and cholera. Between January and July of this year, more than 38,000 cholera cases, including nearly 1,000 deaths, were reported in 17 of the country's 26 provinces.
These outbreaks are occurring amid reduced humanitarian funding and insufficient resources to contain these epidemics.