UN News Today 18 February 2025 |

DRC crisis: children reportedly killed in summary executions by M23 fighters

The humanitarian emergency in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has deteriorated sharply with serious human rights violations and abuses including reported summary executions of children and generalized sexual violence.

In an alert on Tuesday, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, confirmed that three children were killed by Rwanda-backed M23 fighters who entered the city of Bukavu last week.

With more, here’s OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani:

“Our Office has confirmed cases of summary execution of children by M23 after they entered the city of Bukavu last week. We are also aware that children were in possession of weapons. We call on Rwanda and M23 to ensure that human rights and international humanitarian law are respected.”

Ms. Shamdasani condemned attacks on hospitals and humanitarian warehouses, as well as threats against the judiciary, lawyers and journalists, directly linked to the rapid advance of the M23 fighters across North Kivu and South Kivu.

The crisis has uprooted hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people in a matter of weeks in eastern DRC and between 10 and 15,000 people have now crossed into neighbouring Burundi in a matter of days, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.

Alarm as Sudan violence intensifies and abuses surge

Heavy fighting is intensifying in Sudan’s capital Khartoum, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday, with battles ongoing in multiple hotspots and civilians impacted most by the escalating violence.

According to a new report on the conflict between rival Sudanese forces that erupted in April 2023, OHCHR warned that communities have come under attack because of their perceived affiliation to these opposing forces, or on the basis of their ethnicity.

Li Fung, OHCHR head of office in Sudan, said that gender-based violence has been getting worse in the states of North Darfur, Kordofan and more recently, White Nile.

“In terms of rape and the ethnically motivated rape; indeed, as outlined in the report of the High Commissioner in West Darfur, we have documented multiple cases of rape that were ethnically motivated against the Masalit community from late 2023 and early 2024.”

The UN rights office report also detailed recurring attacks by the rebel paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on Zamzam camp for internally displaced people in El Fasher – the capital of North Darfur in western Sudan – and surrounding villages.

Medical facilities have also come under sustained attack in El Fasher city, with nine attacks documented between 9 May and 23 June 2024, mostly attributed to the Rapid Support Forces.

The UN rights office said that it was clear that weapons continue to be delivered into Sudan by foreign partners sponsoring the rival militaries, the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces.

Ukrainians need lifesaving aid now more than ever: UNHCR

To Ukraine, where it’s nearly three years since the full-scale Russian attack which the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, warned on Tuesday has left thousands dead and caused massive destruction.

In the last six months alone, more than 200,000 have fled their homes in eastern Ukraine as attacks have increased, UNHCR reported.

The UN agency said that as the suffering continues, it is more important than ever to provide immediate life-saving assistance to those most affected.

Some 10.6 million Ukrainians are displaced today – which is almost one quarter of its pre-war population. Inside Ukraine, 3.7 million have been uprooted by the violence, while 6.9 million refugees continue to receive protection abroad.

More than two million homes across Ukraine – some 10 per cent of the housing stock – have been damaged or destroyed, according to UNHCR.

It noted with concern that repeated attacks on energy infrastructure continue to plunge people into cold and darkness.

Over the last three years, UNHCR said that it has brought life-saving assistance to millions, working with the Government of Ukraine, UN agencies and local partners, delivering aid to 800,000 people living in hard-to-reach frontline communities.

Daniel Johnson, UN News.