DAKAR, Senegal — The United Nations children’s agency has charged that armed groups engaged in the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo have committed widespread sexual violence against children in recent weeks, as rebel forces extend their control and displace government troops.
As the turmoil in this mineral-rich area continues unabated, UNICEF reported disturbing incidents of abuse. The agency indicated that it is believed that both the M23 rebel faction and the Congolese military are involved in these acts of violence.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell expressed grave concern, stating, “We are hearing deeply disturbing accounts of severe violations against children in North and South Kivu provinces, including rape and other forms of sexual abuse at levels beyond anything we’ve encountered in recent years.”
She also shared a heart-wrenching testimony from a mother who described the systematic sexual assault of her six daughters, the youngest being just 12 years old, as they searched for food.
During the week of January 27 to February 2, health facilities in the turbulent area reported 572 cases of rape, marking a more than fivefold increase from the previous week, according to Lianne Gutcher, UNICEF’s communications director in Congo. Out of those cases, 170 involved children.
While the rapes were committed by armed men, it remains uncertain to which specific groups these perpetrators belong. Gutcher stated that it is widely believed that all factions involved in the conflict have engaged in sexual violence.
The M23 rebels, who are supported by Rwanda, are among the more than 100 armed factions competing for dominance in Congo’s eastern region, which has suffered from conflict for decades, leading to one of the largest humanitarian crises worldwide. In late January, the rebels seized control of Goma, the largest city in the area, marking a significant escalation in the violence.
Last week, the United Nations Human Rights Council initiated an investigation into the atrocities committed, including sexual assaults and killings that resemble summary executions, involving both the Congolese army and the M23 forces since the start of the year.
Additionally, 84 Congolese soldiers faced trial on charges of murder, sexual assault, and various crimes in the eastern part of the country, specifically in Bukavu, which is currently under government control, although the rebel activity has been increasing in the vicinity.
In a related matter, Congo’s Health Minister Roger Kamba reported that 143 patients undergoing treatment for mpox escaped from hospitals in Goma as rebel forces advanced into the city. While some have either returned or been found, 110 patients are still unaccounted for.
Furthermore, Kamba informed that almost 100 cholera cases have been documented in Goma since the onset of the rebel offensive. Goma is now entirely under the control of the rebels.
Despite the dire situation, Kamba noted that local authorities, with assistance from aid organizations, have managed to deliver vaccines, medical supplies, and other essential medicines to Goma through a humanitarian corridor established with neighboring Kenya and Rwanda, although he did not reveal further details.
