The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has filed a formal case against Rwanda at the International Court of Justice over its alleged direct role in the devastating, long-running conflict in its eastern territory.
Kinshasa filed the lawsuit at the United Nations’ highest judicial body, accusing neighboring Rwanda of breaching international conventions. The legal move targets three decades of cross-border military incursions and severe human rights violations.
In an official statement on Friday, the Congolese government accused Rwanda of launching a “campaign of genocide and serious and widespread human rights violations” primarily targeting communities across eastern Zaire and the modern-day DRC.
The lawsuit charges that Kigali dispatched forces and directed armed proxies to execute unlawful military operations. The filing cites severe civilian atrocities, including widespread massacres, torture, sexual violence, and systemic forced displacement.
Kinshasa wants the ICJ to issue a binding order for Rwanda to immediately cease all cross-border violations. Furthermore, the DRC is demanding substantial reparations for the state and millions of victims.
This marks the DRC’s third attempt to challenge Rwanda at the ICJ over 25 years. A 2001 case was withdrawn voluntarily, while a second attempt was dismissed by the court in 2006 over jurisdictional limits.
The legal action targets Rwanda’s alleged backing of the M23 rebel group, which has seized vast territories in North Kivu province. UN experts estimate the resulting regional insecurity has displaced over 7 million people.
Rwanda has consistently denied backing eastern Congolese rebel groups. The Kigali administration did not immediately issue an official response to the new ICJ filing, having previously dismissed similar regional legal challenges as purely political maneuvers.
