Twenty-five soldiers from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s army have been sentenced to death for fleeing fighting with the notorious M23 rebels in conflict-affected areas in the east of the country.
The soldiers also stole goods from shops in nearby villages after abandoning their positions and were convicted of theft by a military court, a military spokesman said.
A military court acquitted the wives of four soldiers on charges of receiving looted items from their husbands.
In March, the government lifted a moratorium on the death penalty that had been in place for more than 20 years after the justice minister said “traitors” needed to be purged from the military.
A lawyer for the soldiers, two of whom are captains, said he would appeal Wednesday’s verdict by a military court in Democratic Republic of Congo’s North Kivu province.
In addition to the 25 soldiers sentenced to death, one soldier was sentenced to 10 years in prison and another was found not guilty.
In May, a military court in the city of Goma sentenced eight soldiers to death for “desertion” and “cowardice” while fighting rebels. They are also appealing the verdict.
The M23 rebels have captured several towns in the past few days, including the strategic town of Kanyabayonga.
Neighboring Rwanda has been widely accused of supporting the M23, but the Kigali government denies this.
The United Nations says the current situation in North Kivu is “particularly worrying”.
According to reports, more than 150,000 civilians have fled their homes in the past week, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the region, where 2.8 million people have been displaced.
The United Nations added that North Kivu was also “dangerous” for humanitarian workers.
Two rescuers from the charity Tearfund died after their convoy was attacked in the town of Butembo on Sunday.
The army’s battle against the eastern M23 movement and other rebel groups has long been hampered by chaos within its ranks.
The military was considered unprofessional and undisciplined. Soldiers complained about low pay and a lack of equipment.
The United Nations and regional countries have deployed troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo to support the army, but have been unable to stem the violence.
It is said that M23 soldiers are well-equipped and disciplined.
The rebel group began operating in 2012, ostensibly to protect the Tutsi population in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a region that has long complained of persecution and discrimination.
Despite Rwanda’s denials, U.N. experts as well as France and the United States say the M23 movement has support from President Paul Kagame’s government.
