Authorities in Democratic Republic of the Congo have attributed the discovery of two mass graves in the city of Uvira to fighters of the rebel M23.
M23 briefly seized control of Uvira in early December before withdrawing last month. During the occupation, the international NGO Human Rights Watch documented reports of harassment, intimidation, forced recruitment, disappearances, and killings of civilians, estimating that around 10 people were killed, though the group has denied these allegations.
Local authorities reported that the graves were found in the Kavinvira municipality, with one containing six bodies and the other holding several dozen. Residents from Sange, roughly 30 kilometers from Uvira, also reported a grave containing 10 bodies.
As of now, none of the graves have been exhumed or excavated, and investigations into the identities of the victims and the circumstances of their deaths are ongoing.
