THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The International Criminal Court prosecutor said Monday he is renewing an investigation in Congo and focusing on allegations of crimes committed in the conflict-torn North Kivu province in the central African nation's east since early 2022.
Eastern Congo has long been overrun by more than 120 armed groups seeking a share of the region’s gold and other resources as some carry out mass killings. The result is one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with more than 7 million people displaced, many beyond the reach of aid.
The most active rebel group has been M23, which rose to prominence more a decade ago when its fighters seized Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city on the border with Rwanda. It derives its name from a March 23, 2009, peace deal that it accuses Congo's government of not implementing.
In August, clashes between the rebels and pro-government militias killed 16 villagers in a violation of the cease-fire announced in August to help millions displaced.
The ICC first opened an investigation in Congo 20 years ago following years of armed conflict. Last year the Congolese government asked it to investigate alleged crimes in North Kivu by armed groups operating there since Jan. 1, 2022.
In a statement, prosecutor Karim Khan said recent violence in North Kivu is “interconnected with patterns of violence and hostilities that have plagued the region" since mid-2002. As a result, the more recent allegations fall into the ongoing investigation.
Khan said his probe in North Kivu “will not be limited to particular parties or members of specific groups. Rather, my office will examine holistically, independently and impartially the responsibility of all actors” allegedly committing crimes within the court's jurisdiction.
The ICC previously convicted three rebels of crimes in Congo's eastern Ituri region, including a notorious warlord, Bosco Ntaganda, known as “ The Terminator ” who was found guilty of crimes including murder, rape and sexual slavery. His convictions and 30-year sentence were upheld by appeals judges in 2021.