Rwanda has strongly rejected allegations by Human Rights Watch (HRW) linking the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) to forced recruitment, arbitrary detention and other abuses in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), accusing the rights organisation of relying on unverified claims while overlooking the role of armed groups backed by Kinshasa.
The response follows the publication of a 78-page HRW report on June 10, which alleges that Rwandan military forces and the M23 rebel movement carried out large-scale forced recruitment and abusive detention of captured combatants and civilians in North and South Kivu provinces between mid-2024 and December 2025.
In a statement posted on X, Government Spokesperson Yolande Makolo dismissed the report as part of a long-standing pattern in HRW’s reporting on Rwanda.
“Human Rights Watch on Rwanda is a 30-year pattern: anonymous claims, no site visits or forensics, sanctions first and investigation later,” Makolo wrote.
She argued that HRW ignored its own findings regarding the involvement of other actors in the conflict, including the Democratic Republic of Congo’s military, the FDLR militia, Wazalendo groups, foreign mercenaries and Burundian forces.
“It should be clear that the RDF is not AFC/M23,” Makolo said. “Any serious investigation requires impartiality, access, forensic rigour, due process, and not conclusions announced in advance, or bombastic calls for sanctions.”
Makolo added that the Washington peace accords remain “the path forward” for addressing insecurity in eastern DRC through dialogue, accountability and regional cooperation.
Rwanda rejects allegations
In a more detailed statement issued by the Office of the Government Spokesperson, Rwanda faulted HRW’s attempt to treat the RDF and M23 as a single actor.
“Alleged M23 conduct cannot be treated as RDF conduct,” the statement said.
The government accused HRW of applying “selective accountability” by focusing primarily on Rwanda and M23 while paying insufficient attention to abuses committed by Congolese government forces and their allies.
According to Kigali, HRW’s own report acknowledges that the Congolese army has supported armed groups opposed to M23, including the FDLR, a militia formed by perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.
The statement also cited passages in the report saying Congolese authorities armed, financed and coordinated operations with Wazalendo militias and that government support for such groups contributed to human rights violations.
“Selective accountability applied with selective investigative depth is not accountability,” the government said.
Questions over methodology
Rwanda also poked holes in HRW’s methodology.
The government argued that the report relied heavily on anonymous testimony and lacked on-the-ground forensic investigations.
According to Kigali, no investigators visited the locations where the alleged abuses occurred, no exhumations were conducted and no forensic examinations were undertaken.
The statement also criticised HRW for presenting allegations as established facts while acknowledging uncertainty in sections of the report dealing with legal assessments and satellite imagery.
“An investigation whose conclusions are announced in advance is not an investigation,” the statement said, while reiterating Rwanda’s support for “genuine, independent investigation” based on access, forensic evidence and due process.
FDLR threat
On the FDLR, Rwanda highlighted the militia as a key security threat and accused HRW of failing to adequately examine its role and links to Congolese government forces.
The government argued that any assessment of the conflict must address root causes of insecurity in eastern DRC, including the continued presence of the FDLR near Rwanda’s border.
Kigali also accused HRW of failing to scrutinise alleged violations of the Washington Accords by Kinshasa while placing disproportionate focus on Rwanda and M23.
Rwanda said it remains committed to regional peace initiatives and to pursuing security, accountability and cooperation through diplomatic processes.
“The Washington Accords are the most credible path forward,” the government said, adding that Rwanda would continue to support “a regional solution rooted in dialogue, fairness, and partnership.”
