27 DR Congo Soldiers Sentenced to Death for Fleeing

The soldiers were found guilty of abandoning their frontline positions and retreating during the fight against AFC/M23 rebels.

A military court in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has sentenced 27 soldiers to death for allegedly abandoning their positions and fleeing the battlefield while fighting AFC/M23 rebels.

The soldiers were among at least 112 members of the 21st Simba Battalion whose trial began on September 15 at a military court in Uvira, South Kivu province.

They were accused of disobeying military orders and abandoning their positions during fighting against rebels in eastern DR Congo in August.

The court also sentenced 54 soldiers to five years in prison for disobeying orders, while another 10 were given six-month prison terms.

At least 21 soldiers were acquitted for lack of sufficient evidence. Five of those acquitted were women.

Prosecutors said the soldiers had been deployed to secure strategically important areas around Uvira.

The latest verdict follows a similar case in May, when a military court sentenced 58 soldiers to three years in prison for allegedly abandoning the frontline during clashes with AFC/M23 rebels.

Fighting between government forces and AFC/M23 rebels has continued around Uvira during the latest trial. Both sides have accused each other of violating a ceasefire.

The M23 is one of the main armed groups involved in the conflict in eastern DR Congo. The group seized the major cities of Goma and Bukavu in early 2025 and has since controlled large areas of eastern Congo.

The Congolese government, the United Nations and several Western countries have accused neighbouring Rwanda of supporting the M23. Rwanda has denied the allegations.