Democratic Republic of the Congo - August 2023

On 30 August, units of the Congolese military are reported to have killed as many as 56 members of a religious sect that was planning a protest against the United Nations peacekeeping mission MONUSCO in Goma. Followers of Natural Judaic and Messianic Faith Towards the Nations (often called Wazalendo) had gathered in a church to prepare for the protest despite an order from the city government the week before that had banned it. Both MONUSCO and the Congolese authorities cited threats of violence in the protest; other reports suggest that the group was planning an attack. However, the Congolese military’s pre-emptive and indiscriminate attack on the Wazalendo group was widely condemned. In early September, six soldiers (including two senior officers) were arrested and charged with crimes that include crimes against humanity for their role in the massacre.

This latest massacre is one incident in a trend of increasing violence in the eastern provinces of the country, as the Congolese military and multi-national forces are engaged in armed confrontations with armed groups including the March 23 Movement and the Da’esh affiliated Allied Democratic Forces that have perpetrated atrocities against civilians.

Sources: Associated Press, Anadolu Agency, Al Jazeera, United Nations