Authorities in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have discovered two mass graves containing at least 171 bodies near the city of Uvira. South Kivu Governor Jean-Jacques Purusi said one grave held around 30 bodies in Kiromoni, close to the Burundian border, while another in Kavimvira contained 141 bodies.
The graves were found in areas recently abandoned by the M23 rebel group, which has been engaged in a violent conflict with government forces for over a decade. The governor and a local civil society group allege the victims were killed because they were suspected of supporting the army or pro-government militias.
The M23 group seized Uvira in December, in an offensive that reportedly killed more than 1,500 people and displaced roughly 300,000. The rebels later announced a withdrawal, describing it as a trust-building measure to facilitate a US-mediated peace process.
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Despite ceasefire agreements, fighting continues across eastern DR Congo. The conflict has created a major humanitarian crisis, leaving more than seven million people displaced and thousands dead, according to the United Nations.
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