DR Congo conflict: At least 66 Congolese soldiers sentenced to death for cowardice
At least 66 soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been sentenced to death for abandoning their posts during clashes with rebel forces. The government is utilizing capital punishment as a tool to enforce discipline and combat perceived treason within its ranks.
Why it matters
This development underscores the escalating severity of the conflict in eastern DR Congo and the government's controversial shift toward harsher punitive measures.
Image source, Reuters Image caption, The Congolese army has been fighting rebels for decades
At least 66 soldiers have been sentenced to death in the Democratic Republic of Congo for cowardice, mutiny and refusing to obey orders, local media report.
The sentences followed a trial of 71 soldiers before a military court in Walikale, in North Kivu province, in eastern DR Congo. Four soldiers were acquitted, while another was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
The army said the trial was intended to improve discipline among troops as they battle armed groups in eastern DR Congo.
The region has endured decades of conflict, with fighting continuing between government forces and the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN), a rebel coalition that includes the M23 group.
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