Civilian lives in Rutshuru territory, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), are being devastated by a coalition of armed groups operating alongside government forces. Reports confirm that the Collectif des mouvements pour le changement-Forces de défense du peuple (CMC-FDP), part of the loosely organized Wazalendo alliance, has systematically targeted non-combatants, committing rape, torture, abductions, and pillaging since mid-2025.

Residents of Bukombo and surrounding areas face a brutal reality—caught between the M23 rebels and the CMC-FDP’s unchecked violence. In isolated zones where state presence is weak, the group operates with near-total impunity, exacting revenge on families linked to M23 supporters through executions, sexual enslavement, and property destruction.

People in Bukombo live under a double siege—terrorized by both the M23 and the CMC-FDP. The daily horrors endured, especially in remote areas, are beyond comprehension. And yet, the DRC government remains complicit by continuing to arm and fund these groups rather than protecting its own citizens.

Tigere Chagutah, Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Amnesty International

Sexual violence and enslavement of women

Two young women, both in their early twenties, shared harrowing accounts of their captivity within CMC-FDP camps. Their husbands had reportedly joined the M23, prompting retaliatory abductions in May and June 2025. Held for months, one victim described being forced into a forced marriage with a commander, enduring daily rape and threats of death if she resisted. The other recounted being taken to Mudugudu base in Bukombo, where she was also forced into sexual servitude alongside four other women. Both survivors reported contracting sexually transmitted infections and enduring long-term physical and psychological trauma.

These crimes—systematic rape and sexual slavery—constitute grave breaches of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes. Yet, the CMC-FDP has dismissed all allegations, claiming no official complaints or disciplinary actions have been recorded internally.

Extrajudicial killings and torture

Nine survivors recounted how CMC-FDP fighters targeted families of suspected M23 supporters. In one case, a 35-year-old woman witnessed her husband executed in front of their children after her 15-year-old son allegedly joined the M23. The commander reportedly shot her husband three times—twice in the chest and once in the genitals—before looting the home of livestock and household goods.

A pregnant woman, seeking refuge in a banana grove during an M23 skirmish in November 2025, was discovered by armed men. Denied oil as demanded, her home was burned, and her husband was hacked to death with machetes. She gave birth alone in the forest later that day, amid the stench of decomposing bodies.

They hacked my husband with machetes. We found the bodies days later—already rotting. I had to deliver my baby alone in the bush at dusk.

Survivor, Bukombo

Extortion and violent intimidation

Before M23’s advance, the CMC-FDP imposed a so-called la salama—a protection tax—on local residents, supposedly to safeguard communities. Now, families with relatives in M23 face escalating extortion. One man reported being beaten and threatened with death unless he paid $300. When he refused, his home and two others were set ablaze. Another woman, mistaken for a Tutsi due to her appearance, was whipped and threatened with sexual violence to reveal her husband’s whereabouts—he had fled after M23 threats against Tutsis.

The CMC-FDP has denied any policy of extortion or ransom demands, stating that isolated incidents would be investigated if reported. However, survivors insist such practices are widespread and systematic.

DRC military’s continued support for CMC-FDP

Since 2023, the DRC government has legally integrated local armed groups like the CMC-FDP into the armed forces as auxiliary units to fight the M23. This partnership includes direct funding and weapons supply. In December 2025, the Finance Minister disclosed that the state allocates $4 million monthly to Wazalendo groups. Internal military documents revealed the CMC-FDP received over 100,000 rounds of ammunition and 100+ 40mm rockets from the DRC army between late 2023 and early 2024.

In July 2024, the European Union sanctioned CMC-FDP leader Dominique Kamanzi, citing his role in severe human rights violations and alleged collaboration with the FDLR—a rebel group with deep ties to the 1994 Rwanda genocide.

It is unconscionable that the DRC army continues to bankroll the CMC-FDP despite their documented atrocities against civilians. These groups have terrorized communities for years. The government must immediately sever ties, cease all support, and hold these fighters accountable.

Tigere Chagutah, Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Amnesty International