Rebels forcing young people into militias – DR Congo

Kidnappings and recruitment of youth is continuing in North and South Kivu, the country’s deputy prime minister has said

The M23 rebels operating in DR Congo are committing serious human rights violations, including the abduction and forced recruitment of young people, the country’s authorities have claimed.

Speaking at a press-conference in Kinshasa on Tuesday, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Security Jacquemain Shabani cited daily abuses against civilians in conflict-hit eastern Congo’s North and South Kivu provinces, Anadolu news agency has reported. 

“It must be noted that abductions and kidnappings of young people continue, to forcibly recruit them into armed movements”, he added.

The rebels “arrested and detained several young people, including some minors, whom they sometimes use as trackers, but also as a human shield,” according to Major Nestor Mavudisa, spokesperson for the Congolese army’s third defense zone.

The accusations come weeks after government representatives and rebels signed a declaration in Doha, Qatar, outlining a timeline for peace. The parties agreed to launch negotiations on August 8 and finalize a peace deal by August 18.

However, the deadline passed without progress, with each side accusing the other of violations. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari said last week that Congolese officials and representatives of the armed group had resumed negotiations in Doha.

In June, the DR Congo signed a US-brokered agreement with Rwanda, which Kinshasa accuses of arming the rebels – a claim Kigali denies. US President Donald Trump has said the pact, including calls for a joint security mechanism, gives Washington rights to local mineral wealth.

Regional and international actors have pushed for a ceasefire in DR Congo since M23 rebels intensified their offensive earlier this year in the mineral-rich east. The militants have seized key mining hubs, including Goma and Bukavu, reportedly killing thousands.

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