Army-backed militias known as “Wazalendo” are committing widespread atrocities against civilians in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with the government’s direct support, according to a damning new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW).
The militias—originally armed to combat the M23 rebel group—have turned on civilians, particularly the Banyamulenge (Congolese Tutsi) community, unleashing a campaign of killings, beatings, extortion, and ethnic persecution. The Congolese government continues to supply the Wazalendo with weapons, ammunition, and funding despite their record of abuses.
“Government support has effectively greenlit terror against civilians,” said HRW. “The army has lost control, and in some cases, the Wazalendo have even disarmed or attacked government forces.”
Victims include a man whipped to death after being accused of stealing a TV and a young Munyamulenge man killed on suspicion of being Rwandan. HRW documented raids on Banyamulenge homes, roadblocks demanding bribes, and a coordinated attack in March that killed seven people and torched villages, schools, and clinics.
Satellite imagery confirmed the destruction near Bibokoboko. Meanwhile, Congolese National Assembly member Justin Bitakwira—alleged to be a key supporter of the Wazalendo—faces accusations of hate speech against Tutsis and misappropriation of funds.
The Wazalendo emerged as a loose alliance of militias after the M23 offensive in 2025 seized key cities in eastern Congo. With the UN peacekeeping force (MONUSCO) pulling out last year, insecurity has spiked. Ethnic tensions have also been stoked by the government’s ties to other armed groups, including the FDLR.
Legal and Human Rights Implications
These abuses starkly violate the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which the DRC is a signatory. The Charter guarantees the right to life (Article 4), the prohibition of torture and cruel treatment (Article 5), and the right to property (Article 14). It also mandates equal protection under the law and non-discrimination (Article 2).
By supporting and failing to control militias committing ethnically targeted violence, the Congolese government is violating its obligations under the Charter, including the duty to protect citizens from abuse by third parties (Article 1). The state’s failure to investigate or prosecute these abuses undermines victims’ right to a remedy and justice (Article 7).
HRW’s recommendations are blunt: the government must cut all support to the Wazalendo, disarm and demobilize them, and prosecute those responsible—including commanders—under international law.
Without urgent action, HRW warns that South Kivu’s civilians—especially the Banyamulenge—will continue to suffer at the hands of those who claim to protect them.
