The United Nations children's fund on Thursday accused armed men in Eastern Congo, from both sides of the ongoing conflict, are responsible for raping scores of children over the last few weeks.
The accusation was made as the conflict within the mineral-rich region shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. UNICEF referenced various reports of child sexual abuse, noting that the offenders were reportedly from both sides: the M23 rebels and the government forces.
Reports of Child Sexual Abuse
In a statement, UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell said that they were receiving reports of grave violations against children by parties to the conflict in the North and South Kivu provinces. She noted that these include rape and other forms of sexual violence that are being done at levels beyond anything they have seen in the past few years.
Russell added that one example was when a mother recounted when her six daughters, the youngest of whom was only 12 years old, were all systematically raped by armed men while they were searching the home for food, according to the Associated Press.
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There were a total of 572 rape cases reported by health facilities in the restive region during the week from Jan. 27, 2025, to Feb. 2, 2025. This number was more than five times that which was recorded within the week prior. UNICEF communication chief in Congo, Lianna Gutcher, added that 170 of the individuals treated were children.
Gutcher noted that the armed men perpetrated the sexual abuses, but there was not much information regarding which specific group or army they belonged to. She added that they suspect that all parties to the conflict committed some form of sexual violence.
Fighting for Control of Congo
There have been more than 100 armed groups that are fighting for control of Congo's mineral-rich east in a conflict that has lasted for decades. The situation has created one of the world's most disastrous humanitarian crises in history, Voice of America News reported.
The United Nations Human Rights Council launched a commission last week that would investigate the child sexual abuse cases that all parties committed to the conflict since the beginning of 2025.
For now, the M23 rebels, which have the backing of Rwanda, are the most prominent among the armed groups fighting within the region. Last month, the insurgents reportedly captured Goma, the region's largest city, which resulted in a significant escalation of the fighting.
84 Congolese soldiers were accused of murder, rape, and other crimes in the country's east who went on trial on Monday in the city of Bukavu. This particular city is currently under the control of the local government's forces, as per Independent.
