Officials in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo reported the discovery of at least 171 bodies in two mass graves on Thursday, days after the M23 rebel group withdrew from areas around Uvira in South Kivu province. The graves were located in the Kilomoni and Kavimvira neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city, provincial governor Jean-Jacques Purusi told reporters.
One site held around 31 bodies while the second contained about 141, according to the governor. Local human rights activists also said additional graves may have been uncovered in nearby villages.
Authorities have not independently confirmed how the victims died, and initial reports are based on statements from provincial officials. A spokesperson for the Alliance Fleuve Congo/M23 did not respond to requests for comment.
A civil society group in the area said the victims may have been targeted because they were suspected of supporting government forces or pro-government militias, but those claims remain unverified by independent investigators.
The discovery follows M23’s rapid offensive late last year, during which it briefly captured Uvira and other towns in eastern Congo. That offensive displaced hundreds of thousands of people and contributed to one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with millions forced from their homes.
Human rights groups including Human Rights Watch have previously accused M23 fighters of abuses such as executions and harassment of civilians during their occupation of territory in South Kivu, but the latest mass grave findings have not yet been fully examined by forensic teams.
The ongoing conflict in eastern Congo involves multiple armed groups fighting for control of mineral-rich areas near the borders with Rwanda and Burundi. International mediation efforts have so far failed to halt the violence, and fighting continues in several provinces despite negotiated ceasefires.
