At least 75 Congolese soldiers will be put on trial for deserting their posts during the M23 rebels' advance and committing acts of violence against civilians, including murder and looting. The UN has reported widespread human rights abuses in the conflict's wake, implicating all sides, including M23 fighters, Congolese soldiers, and pro-government militias. While Rwanda denies backing the M23, it has faced accusations of involvement.
Congo authorities will put at least 75 soldiers on trial on Monday for fleeing the advance of Rwanda -backed M23 rebels into the eastern province of South Kivu and for violence against civilians, including murder and looting, the military prosecutor’s office said on Sunday.
The United Nations has reported mass violations including summary executions, gang rape and sexual slavery in the wake of a major M23 advance in late January that led to the capture of the east Democratic Republic of Congo’s largest city of Goma. M23 fighters, Congolese soldiers and pro-government militias were all implicated, the UN human rights office found. Congo has not commented on reports concerning its troops but called on the UN to investigate violations it blames on M23 rebels and Rwanda. Rwanda, which denies backing the group, has rejected any responsibility. M23 rebels have not responded to requests for comment. Despite announcing a unilateral ceasefire, the Tutsi-led rebels have continued to march south towards the capital of South Kivu, Bukavu. They seized control of Nyabibwe, a town about 70 km (40 miles) north of the provincial capital, last week. The 75 soldiers facing trial were arrested for fleeing the frontline after Nyabibwe’s capture. They are accused of rape, murder, looting and revolt, the military prosecutor’s office told Reuters. The office said others who have been arrested further south on the same charges are expected to join them in the dock. A civil society source in Kavumu, a town 35 km north of Bukavu and home to the city’s airport, said deserting soldiers had killed 10 people, including seven sitting in a bar on Friday evening. “Acts of looting by our uncontrolled soldiers who have fled in the face of the enemy are still being recorded,” said another civil society leader in the area, Leonidas Tabaro. Provincial army spokesman Nestor Mavudisa said the rogue soldiers would be punished and called on the population to remain calm. There did not appear to be a significant escalation in fighting over the weekend. Clashes were reported in a national park around 30 km from Bukavu, along with other sporadic exchanges of fire in the area. African leaders held an unprecedented joint summit of Eastern and Southern African blocs last week and urged all parties to hold direct talks in an attempt to diffuse the crisis.
CONGO M23 REBELS RWANDA HUMAN RIGHTS MILITARY PROSECUTOR SOUTH KIVU BUKAVU UN AFRICAN SUMMIT
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