A military court in Uvira, South Kivu province, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has sentenced 27 soldiers to death after finding them guilty of abandoning strategic positions during fighting with AFC/M23 forces.
The soldiers were among 112 members of the 21st “Simba” Battalion who faced trial before the military court in Uvira. The proceedings began on September 15, with prosecutors accusing the troops of disobeying orders and withdrawing from positions during fighting in August. AA News
The court found the 27 soldiers guilty of “cowardice in the face of the enemy” and disobedience after they abandoned positions in the Malimba and Masangu areas overlooking Uvira.
According to prosecutors, the troops had been deployed to defend strategic high-ground positions during fighting in the area. The withdrawals occurred during clashes involving Congolese government forces and AFC/M23 fighters.
The verdict was delivered on October 3, according to reports citing court documents. Of the 112 soldiers who appeared before the court, 91 were convicted while 21 were acquitted. AA News
The court sentenced another 54 soldiers to five years in prison after finding them guilty of violating military instructions. Ten others received six-month sentences.
At least 21 soldiers, including five women, were acquitted after the court found insufficient evidence against them. AA News
The case comes amid continued fighting in eastern DRC between government forces and AFC/M23 fighters. Uvira and its surrounding highlands remain strategically important because of their proximity to the Burundian border and Lake Tanganyika.
The latest ruling is not the first time Congolese military courts have handed down death sentences against soldiers accused of abandoning combat positions.
In July 2024, a military tribunal in North Kivu sentenced 25 soldiers to death after finding them guilty of offences including fleeing the enemy and misappropriating war material. SOS Médias Burundi
The DRC lifted its longstanding moratorium on executions in 2024, allowing military courts to impose the death penalty in specified cases. However, Human Rights Watch said in June 2026 that Congo had not carried out an execution since 2003 despite the lifting of the de facto moratorium. Human Rights Watch
The Uvira sentences come as military discipline has become a major concern for the Congolese government amid prolonged fighting in the east.
The AFC/M23 conflict has also drawn regional involvement and competing accusations. Kinshasa and several international actors have accused Rwanda of supporting M23, while Rwanda has denied the allegation.
