Amnesty International has called on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to cease its reported support for the Collective of Movements for Change-People’s Defence Forces (CMC-FDP). The rights group suggests that the CMC-FDP, an armed faction allegedly backed by the Congolese army, has been involved in abuses that could qualify as war crimes. Amnesty’s regional director emphasized the need for the Congolese government to end support and collaboration with such groups and to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.
The CMC-FDP has allegedly committed severe human rights violations in regions under the control of the March 23 Movement (M23), with reported actions including sexual violence, looting, and retaliatory killings. Amnesty International highlights that these acts contravene international humanitarian law. Notably, the leaders of CMC-FDP might be considered complicit if they knew of these abuses and failed to intervene. The European Union sanctioned the CMC-FDP’s commander in 2024 for serious violations against civilians, underscoring the international concern over the group’s activities.
Despite these allegations, the CMC-FDP rejected claims of abuses, stating that no formal complaints have been lodged internally and suggesting any incidents would be isolated and contrary to their principles. However, evidence suggests that the DRC government provides financial and military support to the CMC-FDP, viewed as part of a coalition of groups used as proxies in the ongoing conflict against M23.
The conflict between DRC forces and rival factions like M23 continues to escalate, driven by territorial and resource disputes. A recent report by the United Nations in September 2025 confirmed that all parties involved have engaged in actions potentially amounting to war crimes. The UN calls for accountability and the upholding of humanitarian law in the region.
Meanwhile, rights groups like Amnesty have urged for a robust accountability process to address the violations propagated by armed groups in eastern DRC. The persistent nature of the conflict underscores the critical need for decisive action from both the national and international community to safeguard civilian lives and enhance stability in the region.