171 bodies found in mass graves in Congo

Local authorities and a civil society group say mass graves have been found in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo following the retreat of M23 rebels. Al Jazeera reports that at least 171 bodies were found in two mass graves in the Kiromani and Kavimvira areas on the outskirts of the city of Uvira on Thursday (February 26). According to Jean-Jacques Purussy, the governor of South Kivu province, about 30 bodies were found in Kiromani and 141 in Kavimvira.
A local organization, the Civilian Protection Network, said it wanted to visit the mass graves. But the Congolese army did not allow them to go there. A leader of the organization claimed that the victims were killed by M23 rebels because they were suspected of being members of government forces or pro-government militias. However, these allegations could not be independently verified. Human rights groups have accused both the Congolese army and the M23 of extrajudicial killings and torture in the past.
The March 23 Movement, or M23, is one of the most influential armed groups in eastern Congo. The mineral-rich region near the Rwandan border has long been the epicenter of conflict. The first major clashes began in 2012. Fighting intensified again in 2021. In January 2025, the rebels captured the capital of North Kivu, Goma. The following month, they took control of Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu. Regional authorities later said they had also taken control of Uvira.
The rebels later said they would withdraw from Uvira to help with the peace process. The M23 claims to be fighting to protect the rights of the minority Tutsi community. The Congolese government has strongly criticized them and accused neighboring Rwanda of supporting the rebels. The United Nations refugee agency says the conflict has displaced more than seven million people. Thousands have been killed. The conflict in eastern Congo has now become one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.