A recent United Nations Group of Experts report, issued on June 11, 2026, unequivocally identifies the AFC/M23 armed group as the primary non-state actor behind the vast majority of international humanitarian law violations across the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. This crucial report sheds light on the ongoing DRC human rights violations.

The documented abuses paint a grim picture, including systematic executions, the widespread destruction of villages, and deliberate torching of essential livelihoods within the Bwito and Bwisha chiefdoms in Rutshuru. Furthermore, a severe humanitarian blockade in Minembwe has cut off the Banyamulenge population from vital access to basic necessities, highlighting a devastating pattern of atrocities in the region.

Conflict-related sexual violence, for which the AFC/M23 is cited by the UN as the primary perpetrator, has escalated to what experts describe as «sans précédent» (unprecedented) levels since 2024. Women and girls continue to bear the disproportionate brunt of these horrific acts, making these DRC human rights violations even more tragic.

Significantly, the report also points to the FARDC (Congolese armed forces) as the leading state actor responsible for violations. This dual attribution implicates both sides of the conflict, adding layers of complexity to a situation often simplified as merely an external aggression and deepening concerns about African politics in the region.