The Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Judith Suminwa Tuluka, has revealed that over 7,000 people have been killed since January 2025 due to escalating violence in the eastern region.
Speaking at the 58th Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, Tuluka described the situation as the worst escalation in over a decade, with 450,000 people left homeless after 90 displacement camps were destroyed.
Call for Global Action Amid M23 Insurgency
Tuluka attributed much of the crisis to the M23 rebel group, whose advancement has led to mass displacements, summary executions, and widespread atrocities.
"It is impossible to describe the screams and cries of millions of victims of this conflict," she lamented, urging the international community to impose "dissuasive sanctions" on those fueling the crisis.
Rwanda Denies Allegations of Supporting M23
The Rwandan government has rejected allegations from Congo, the United Nations, and Western powers that it is providing arms and troops to M23 rebels.
The conflict, which has plagued eastern DRC for decades, has seen multiple accusations against Rwanda of backing M23’s insurgency—a claim Kigali has consistently denied.
UN Chief Condemns Human Rights Abuses
During the opening remarks, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concerns about the state of human rights globally, particularly highlighting the "horrifying human rights abuses" occurring in eastern Congo.
With the crisis worsening, calls for urgent intervention are growing louder, as the region faces one of its deadliest periods in recent history.