AMSTERDAM: International Criminal Court prosecutors said on Wednesday they were closely monitoring events in Democratic Republic of Congo, where Rwandan-backed rebels are trying to expand their territory after capturing the city of Goma.

“Credible sources indicate that thousands of persons have been wounded and hundreds killed in and around Goma, including civilians and peacekeepers, following months of clashes between the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the March 23 Movement ( “M23 “) and their allies,” ICC prosecutors said in a statement.

They urged all parties to deliver information on possible crimes. ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan said last year he would renew an investigation into Democratic Republic of Congo, focusing on alleged crimes committed in North Kivu province, whose capital is Goma, since Jan 2022. “This investigation is active and continues with urgency and focus,” his office said on Wednesday.

More than 2,000 bodies of people killed in last week’s conflict require burial in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo’s communications minister said early on Wednesday.

Published in Dawn, February 6th, 2025