KINSHASA — Congo filed a case against Rwanda at the International Court of Justice on Friday, accusing it of breaching international conventions and conducting unlawful military operations in eastern Congo. The International Court of Justice confirmed it received Congo's application instituting proceedings on June 26, 2026.

Congo alleged Rwanda violated international conventions, including those related to genocide, racial discrimination, discrimination against women, and torture. The country asked the International Court of Justice to declare Rwanda internationally responsible for the conflict and to order it to halt its activities in Congo. Congo also requested that the court award reparations to both Congo and civilian victims.

Congo alleged that Rwandan armed forces and proxy groups, including M23 and the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo-Zaire, have conducted unlawful military operations in eastern Congo since 1994. These abuses primarily targeted Hutus present on Congolese territory following the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Congo alleged. Other ethnic groups, including Nyindu, Bembe, Lega, Nande, Hunde, and Bashi, have also been targeted, according to Congo's allegations.

Rwanda has consistently denied backing armed groups in Congo. However, Rwanda has stated it sent troops or backed armed groups in Congo to neutralize Hutu fighters and protect its security. United Nations experts have reported finding evidence that Rwandan troops have fought alongside and directed the M23 rebel group.

In early 2025, the M23 rebel group seized Goma, Bukavu, and other key cities. On Thursday, the United States imposed sanctions on the Gasabo Gold Refinery, describing it as part of a network working in coordination with M23 in eastern Congo. Congo and the U.S. government have accused Rwanda of using rebels as a pretext to gain access to the region's mineral wealth.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo withdrew a case against Rwanda at the International Court of Justice in 2001. In 2006, the International Court of Justice dismissed a separate case filed by Congo against Rwanda for lack of jurisdiction. In 2025, leaders of Congo and Rwanda signed a U.S.-brokered deal in Washington to de-escalate fighting.

Why It Matters

The filing of this case at the International Court of Justice is a legal action by Congo against Rwanda during ongoing conflict in eastern Congo. The background of the dispute includes Hutu fighters responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide fleeing into eastern Congo. The United Nations has described the conflict in eastern Congo as one of the most protracted, complex, and serious humanitarian crises on Earth. Government forces and allied militias in eastern Congo are currently fighting more than 100 armed groups.