The M23 rebel movement has denied responsibility for the massacres that took place in Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, responding to a Human Rights Watch report accusing it of killing more than 140 civilians.
M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka described the report as a “distortion of reality,” claiming it was based on “rumors and manipulated images,” and firmly rejected the allegations.
The denial comes as Congolese authorities accuse the rebels of attacking government positions in the east, threatening peace efforts launched following the signing of the Declaration of Principles in Qatar.
It is worth recalling that M23 seized control of Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, at the end of January, and temporarily occupied the city of Bukavu in February before government forces regained it.
