A definitive report from the United Nations Group of Experts, released on June 11, 2026, unequivocally identifies the AFC/M23 as the non-state armed group primarily responsible for the most significant violations of international humanitarian law across the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The extensive list of atrocities is deeply disturbing, encompassing systematic executions, widespread village destruction, and the deliberate burning of essential livelihoods within the Bwito and Bwisha chiefdoms in Rutshuru. Furthermore, a severe humanitarian blockade in Minembwe has left the Banyamulenge population without access to basic necessities.

Conflict-related sexual violence, for which the AFC/M23 is documented by the United Nations as the primary perpetrator, has escalated to “unprecedented” levels since 2024, with women and girls disproportionately bearing the brunt of these horrific acts.

The same report also highlights that the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo) stand as the leading state actor accountable for violations. This dual attribution implicates all warring parties and complicates the narrative for those attempting to portray the conflict solely as an external aggression.