A military court in Goma, in eastern DR Congo, has sentenced 66 soldiers to death for cowardice, mutiny and failing to obey orders, according to a report on the verdicts published on 10 November.
The verdicts
The soldiers were accused of abandoning their posts or fleeing clashes with rebels. Prosecutors sought the death penalty for 70 defendants and a 10-year prison term for an intelligence officer. Four defendants were acquitted.
The report says at least 71 members of the Armed Forces of the DR Congo have been arrested in several separate incidents linked to fighting near the borders with Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.
Major Dieudonné Kasereka, the army's head of communications in the affected region, said the charges were needed to reinforce discipline in North and South Kivu, according to the report.
The fighting in the east
The army is fighting the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation, an alliance of armed groups that includes the M23 movement. The DR Congo government and many in the international community say Rwanda backs the rebels. Rwandan President Paul Kagame denies involvement. According to the report, a 2025 peace deal brokered by the United States has done little to end the conflict.
What we do not yet know
- Whether the sentences can be appealed, and whether they will be carried out.
- The exact date of the verdict and the unit or units the soldiers served in. Reports differ.
- How human rights organisations and the DR Congo government have responded.
