Turk said he is shocked by the actions of the rebels of the Congo River Alliance-the March 23 Movement (AFC/M23), who killed at least 319 people, including 48 women and 19 children, in the country’s eastern region in July.

The commissioner told reporters that this is one of the highest death tolls recorded in this kind of attack since the resurgence of the M23 in 2022, and added that these crimes were committed between July 9 and 21 in four villages in the Rutshuru territory, in North Kivu province.

Most victims were local farmers who were in their fields during the planting season, Turk stated, and urged the conflict parties not to harm the civilian population, Radio Okapi station reported.

Turk also condemned the attacks on civilians by armed groups, such as the Cooperative for Development of the Congo (CODECO) and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). The two groups are accused of massacring at least 40 Christian civilians during an attack in Komanda, Ituri, on July 27.

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