DR Congo Military Court Sentences 27 Soldiers to Death for ‘Cowardice’

By Staff, Agencies

A military court in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has sentenced 27 soldiers to death after finding them guilty of “cowardice” for allegedly abandoning their positions during battles against AFC/M23 rebels, according to a court document.

The trial involved at least 112 soldiers from the 21^st Simba Battalion and began on September 15 at a military court in Uvira, South Kivu province. Prosecutors accused the troops of disobeying orders and retreating from the battlefield during clashes with rebels in August.

The court handed down the sentences on Friday. In addition to the 27 death sentences, 54 soldiers were given five-year prison terms for violating military orders, while another 10 received six-month sentences.

At least 21 soldiers, including five women, were acquitted after the court determined that there was insufficient evidence against them.

Prosecutors said the troops had been deployed to defend strategic positions overlooking Uvira. The case comes as fighting continues in the area between government forces and the AFC/M23 rebel group, with both sides accusing each other of breaching a ceasefire.

The latest ruling follows a similar case in May, when a Congolese military court sentenced 58 soldiers to three years in prison for violating orders after they withdrew from the front line during clashes with AFC/M23 fighters.

The M23 movement has played a central role in the conflict in eastern Congo and controls significant areas of territory, including the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu, which it captured in early 2025.

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