ICC prosecutor announces new investigation into alleged crimes in conflict-torn eastern Congo

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – The International Criminal Court prosecutor said on Monday he is renewing an investigation in Congo and focusing on allegations of crimes committed in the conflict-torn North Kivu province in the east of the Central African country since early 2022. .

Eastern Congo has long been invaded by more than 120 armed groups seeking a share of the region’s gold and other resources, while some commit mass murders. The result is one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with more than 7 million people displaced, many of them beyond the reach of aid.

The most active rebel group has been M23, which rose to prominence more than a decade ago when its fighters seized Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo on the border with Rwanda. Its name derives from a peace agreement of March 23, 2009, which it accuses the Congolese government of failing to implement.

In August, clashes between rebels and pro-government militias killed 16 villagers, in violation of the ceasefire announced in August to help millions of displaced people.

The ICC first opened an investigation in Congo 20 years ago, after years of armed conflict. Last year, the Congolese government asked him to investigate alleged crimes in North Kivu committed by armed groups operating there since January 1, 2022.

In a statement, prosecutor Karim Khan said the recent violence in North Kivu is “intertwined with patterns of violence and hostilities that have plagued the region” since mid-2002. As a result, the most recent allegations fit into the ongoing investigation. course.

Khan said his investigation into North Kivu “will not be limited to specific parties or members of specific groups. Instead, my office will holistically, independently and impartially examine the responsibility of all actors” who allegedly commit crimes within the court’s jurisdiction.

The ICC previously convicted three rebels of crimes in Congo’s eastern Ituri region, including a notorious warlord, Bosco Ntaganda, known as “The Terminator,” who was found guilty of crimes including murder, rape and sexual slavery. His convictions and 30-year sentence were upheld by appeals judges in 2021.