A recently published final report by the United Nations Group of Experts, dated June 11, 2026, unequivocally identifies the AFC/M23 as the primary non-state armed group responsible for the most significant violations of international humanitarian law across the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The comprehensive documentation of atrocities is harrowing, detailing systematic executions, the widespread destruction of villages, and the incineration of essential livelihoods within the Bwito and Bwisha chiefdoms in Rutshuru. Furthermore, the report highlights a severe humanitarian blockade imposed in Minembwe, which has critically deprived the Banyamulenge population of access to basic necessities.
Conflict-related sexual violence, with the AFC/M23 cited by the UN as the main perpetrator, has reached what the report describes as “unprecedented” levels since 2024, disproportionately affecting women and girls in the region.
Adding a layer of complexity to the conflict, the report also notes that the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo) are designated as the principal state actor responsible for violations. This dual attribution implicates all belligerents, challenging narratives that seek to portray the conflict as solely an external aggression.
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