Democratic Republic of the Congo

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday said its troops had made a strategic withdrawal from the eastern military base of Rumangabo, ceding ground in the battle against the M23 rebel group.

Thousands have protested in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) city of Goma, denouncing Rwanda’s alleged support of M23 rebels, as DRC recalled its interim acting ambassador from Rwanda in a further souring of relations.

Relations between the Central African neighbors have worsened since the resurgence last November of the of a mostly Congolese Tutsi group, the M23, which had been dormant for years. The DRC has accused its smaller neighbor Rwanda of backing the militia, something officials in Kigali deny.

More than 140 people have been killed in horrific intercommunal violence in the west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Tuesday, briefing journalists in Geneva, that some victims had been beheaded.

Torture is “widespread” and underestimated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and the abuse involves armed groups and State forces, UN investigators said on Wednesday.

Fighters from a notorious militia hacked 14 civilians to death in an attack in eastern DR Congo, local officials said Sunday, in the latest violence to hit the turbulent region.

The UN envoy for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Friday denounced the recent violence against the Organization’s stabilization mission in the country, which has been the target of “manipulation and stigmatization”.

The Democratic Republic of Congo says it is ready to welcome regional troops to start a planned operation against rebels who have caused civilians untold suffering. The first contingent to arrive under this arrangement will be the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), who have since last week been deploying their logistical support systems.

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda aired their dispute over one of the armed groups causing instability along their borders to the world this week. The UN has conceded that its peacekeepers can't defeat the M23. … Kinshasa has increasingly questioned the value of the UN peacekeepers.

The opening of the September parliamentary ordinary session, electoral preparations, national and regional efforts to address insecurity in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and anti-MONUSCO protests marked the reporting period.