Uncontrolled killings and mass gang rapes are reportedly prevalent in the Congo, according to human rights organizations.

In the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the situation remains dire, according to Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot, despite a preliminary truce brokered by the US in June.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a report on July 28, 2025, detailing at least 300 deaths in Rutshuru Territory and 14 massacres in 14 villages around Virunga National Park. The report is based on 25 witness accounts, medical staff, and UN sources.

The M23 rebels, one of the armed groups involved in the ongoing violence, are accused of being responsible for at least 140 deaths in July, as per two separate reports. Amnesty International's report highlights the rampant use of sexual violence by M23 fighters and the Wazalendo, a coalition of armed groups backed by the Congolese army.

The HRW report includes accounts of massacres across at least 14 villages near Virunga National Park. One man interviewed by HRW recounted seeing his wife and four children killed by M23 rebels. Another woman described being forced to march to a riverbank where M23 fighters opened fire, resulting in survivors falling into the water.

Amnesty International's report is based on interviews with 14 survivors of sexual violence. Doctors Without Borders treated nearly 7,400 victims of sexual violence in and around Goma between January and April, and more than 2,400 in nearby Sake.

The violations include abductions of hospital patients and staff, summary executions, and unlawful detention and torture of journalists, activists, and human rights defenders.

Despite missing an Aug. 18 deadline for a final accord, Qatar insists that both the Congolese government and the M23 group remain committed to the peace process. However, the peace process has not led to an improvement in the situation on the ground, as stated by Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot.

Amnesty International documented additional human rights violations by M23 in North and South Kivu between February and June 2025. The HRW report suggests that the total deaths in Rutshuru territory may exceed 300.

The ongoing violence and human rights abuses in eastern DRC continue to pose a significant challenge to regional stability and the protection of civilians.

Uncontrolled killings and mass gang rapes are reportedly prevalent in the Congo, according to human rights organizations.