Inside M23’s Brutality: Massacres, Child Soldiers, Sex Violence

In the lush hills of eastern Congo, a silent war continues to break hearts and homes. Armed men arrive with promises of protection, but instead, they bring death, fear, and destruction. The United Nations’ final report, published in May 2025, has revealed with clarity what many Congolese already knew in their bones: the M23 rebel group has committed serious crimes against civilians, especially in areas under their control.

From massacres to child soldier recruitment, from sexual violence to attacks on humanitarian workers, M23’s war crimes are not random acts; they are part of a pattern. And the cost is being paid by the most vulnerable.

Massacres and Executions: The Kishishe Horror

One of the darkest chapters of M23’s violence took place in Kishishe, a quiet village in North Kivu. In late November 2022, the UN confirmed that M23 fighters carried out a coordinated massacre of civilians. Witnesses told investigators that rebels went house to house, executing people in cold blood. The majority of those killed were Hutus, many accused of resisting M23 control or collaborating with the Congolese army.

Over 170 people were slaughtered in just a few days. Men were shot in front of their families. Women were stabbed. Some were tied up before being executed. Children were among the dead. The UN experts described the scene as a deliberate massacre, not a battle. It was a message to the population: submit or die. In Kishishe, death came without warning and mercy.

Children Forced into Combat

The report also confirms that M23 is stealing children from their villages and turning them into fighters. These boys, some as young as twelve, are taken to hidden camps where they are trained to kill. They are often given drugs to numb their fear and beaten when they refuse orders. Many of them are sent directly to the front lines.

One child, rescued from an M23 base, told investigators that he was told to shoot or be shot. The UN states clearly that this practice violates all international laws meant to protect children. A child’s place is in school, with books and friends, not carrying guns in the jungle. But under M23, childhood ends early, stolen by war.

The Use of Rape as a Weapon

For women living in M23-occupied zones, every day comes with the threat of violence. The UN report contains testimonies from survivors who were raped by M23 fighters, often in front of family members. Some were attacked as punishment for having relatives in the Congolese army. Others were raped to humiliate entire communities and spread fear.

In one case, a woman described how her sister was raped in public, in front of elders. Afterwards, the whole family fled the village in shame and silence. Many victims receive no medical care and are too afraid to speak out. For M23, rape is not just an act of violence; it is a method of control, used to destroy the spirit of a people.

Forced Taxation and Extortion:

In towns like Bunagana, Rutshuru, and Kiwanja, M23 acts like a government. But their version of leadership is built on fear, extortion, and theft. According to the UN, residents are forced to pay taxes, whether they earn money or not. Business owners are ordered to pay monthly fees. Truck drivers must give up part of their income to pass through roadblocks.

Those who refuse are beaten, jailed, or simply disappear. Traders who try to bring goods into M23 territory are often robbed or taxed multiple times. This shadow system creates deep poverty, as local people are squeezed from both sides, first by the war, and then by the criminals who claim to be their rulers.

Attacks on Aid and Those Who Help

As if the violence wasn’t enough, M23 has also gone after the very people trying to help. The UN report confirms that humanitarian convoys have been blocked, looted, or attacked. Food deliveries meant for displaced families have been stolen. Aid workers have been threatened, detained, and even killed. Health clinics supported by international NGOs have been shut down or turned into rebel bases.

One UN team reported that M23 fighters opened fire near a food delivery truck simply because they didn’t want outside observers in the area. This kind of behavior doesn’t just hurt aid workers, it starves whole communities and turns hope into despair

• READ ALSO: 2025 UN Report Exposes Rwanda's Use of FDLR as Cover for War Crimes in DRC

What This Means for Congo and the World

M23 is not just another rebel group. It is a dangerous force backed by Rwanda, accused of mass killings, rape, child recruitment, and war crimes. Their leaders must be held accountable. Those who support them, from foreign governments to illegal smugglers, must face justice too.

The people of Congo deserve peace, not silence. They deserve schools, not training camps. Hospitals, not prisons. Children who dream, not children who shoot.

The international community must respond with action. Stronger sanctions, support for victims, and investigations through the International Criminal Court are just the beginning. The crimes are clear. The evidence is there. What is needed now is willpower