Violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed the lives of "more than 7,000 compatriots" since January, many of whom were civilians, according to Congolese Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka.

Speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, she said the situation in the region had reached "alarming levels."

The Rwanda-backed M23 militant group has seized significant portions of the mineral-rich region, including the cities of Goma and Bukavu, with limited resistance from Congolese forces.

Prime Minister Tuluka reported that over 2,500 bodies have been buried unceremoniously, while another 1,500 are still in morgues. She noted that while the identities of all the deceased haven't been confirmed, "there is a significant mass of civilians" among the victims.

The M23, bolstered by about 4,000 Rwandan soldiers according to UN experts, now controls large areas of the region. Their rapid advance, including the capture of Bukavu and Goma, has caused thousands to flee. Tuluka stated that more than 3,000 people had been killed in Goma alone.

UN Security Council demands Rwanda to withdraw troops from Congo

The United Nations Security Council has called on Rwanda to end its backing of the M23 rebel group and to withdraw its military forces from the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) immediately and unconditionally. The resolution was unanimously passed on Friday, urging both the DRC and Rwanda to engage in diplomatic negotiations to achieve a long-term peaceful solution.

Drafted by France, the resolution comes in response to the M23's capture of the two largest cities in eastern Congo, intensifying fears of a broader conflict. The DRC and the UN have accused Rwanda of providing arms and military support to M23, allegations that Rwanda denies, asserting that its actions are in self-defense against Hutu militias it claims are aligned with the Congolese military.

The Security Council's resolution explicitly "strongly condemns the ongoing offensive and advances of the M23 in North-Kivu and South Kivu with the support of Rwanda Defence Forces" and demands that the M23 "immediately stop its hostilities and withdraw."

The Congolese government accuses Rwanda of exploiting the M23 as a proxy force to pillage valuable minerals, including gold and coltan, which are essential for producing smartphones and computers. In response, the US has sanctioned a Rwandan minister and a senior rebel leader linked to the ongoing conflict.

The resolution also denounces the support provided by Congolese forces "to specific armed groups, in particular the FDLR," and urges Congo to halt this support and to implement measures to neutralize the FDLR.

Proxy Conflict

Rwanda has consistently accused Congo of collaborating with the FDLR (Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda), a group originally formed by Hutus who fled Rwanda after the 1994 genocide. Despite the Congolese military's pledge to arrest soldiers cooperating with the FDLR, UN experts reported in December that the Congolese government continues to use FDLR fighters as proxies.

The M23 group claims to be defending Tutsi communities from Hutu militias, including the FDLR. The FDLR's origins trace back to Hutus who fled Rwanda following the 1994 genocide, which resulted in the deaths of approximately one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

The resurgence of M23's insurgency has led to the deaths of several UN peacekeepers stationed in Congo under MONUSCO. The Security Council resolution warns that "attacks against peacekeepers may constitute war crimes and that planning, directing, sponsoring, or participating in attacks against MONUSCO peacekeepers constitutes a basis for sanctions."

Read more: Congo army's retreat from Bukavu sparks clashes with allied militias