Rwanda National Congress Welcomes UN Experts’ Urgent Call To End M23 Atrocities In Eastern DRC

PORTLAND, Maine – July 24 th , 2026 — The Rwanda National Congress (RNC) strongly welcomes the United Nations Group of Experts’ forceful appeal for an immediate end to the M23 rebel group’s brutal campaign of terror, sexual violence, and atrocities against civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

In their latest statement, the UN experts highlighted a horrifying surge in testimonies from victims, documenting widespread rapes, gang rapes, violent assaults, and killings as core tactics of M23’s operations. They urged international actors and the United Nations to revive the fragile ceasefire agreement signed in December 2025 between the DRC government and the Rwanda-backed M23.

“Rapes, gang rapes, violent assaults and killings of civilians are a common feature of M23’s modus operandi,” the experts declared. “While these crimes are not exclusive to M23, the number of individuals affected is staggering and must end.”

The RNC holds the Kagame regime in Rwanda directly responsible for fueling this cycle of violence through its longstanding support for the M23. We commend the Trump administration’s decision to sanction the Rwandan military as a vital first step toward accountability. Further targeted sanctions and diplomatic pressure on Kigali are essential to dismantle the architecture of regional destabilization.

“The suffering inflicted on innocent Congolese civilians demands justice, not silence,” said an RNC spokesperson, Advocate Ignace Rusagara. “Paul Kagame’s regime must be held accountable for its role as the primary enabler of M23’s reign of terror.”

About the Rwanda National Congress (RNC)

Founded in 2010, the Rwanda National Congress (RNC) is a democratic political organization dedicated to promoting peace, unity, freedom, justice, and genuine democracy in Rwanda. The RNC advocates for accountable leadership, respect for human rights, national healing, and the establishment of transparent institutions that serve the well-being of all Rwandans.