Twelve African countries, including Rwanda, on Wednesday condemned the M23 armed group for setting up "parallel administrations" in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Kigali's condemnation of a group that it is accused of supporting militarily comes as the M23 stands accused of human rights violations in the region, where it has seized large areas since January. Rwanda denies the allegations.

The United Nations has notably denounced the M23 for summary executions of suspects, some of them minors, while on Tuesday, Amnesty International accused it of killing and torturing civilians that it was holding illegally which M23 denies.

In a joint statement, the 12 African countries said they "condemn the territorial advances and installation of parallel administrations" by the M23 and the Congo River Alliance (AFC) of which it is a part.

Surrender without conditions

The DRC also signed the declaration at a regional meeting in Entebbe, Uganda.

The text signed in Entebbe also calls for all other "foreign armed groups" active in restive eastern DRC to be dismantled and to "lay down their weapons without conditions".

They include the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which was founded by former Rwandan Hutu leaders of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis.

Another group is the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) of Ugandan-origin rebels, who swore allegiance to Daesh terror group and are behind massacres that have killed thousands.

Also urged to lay down its arms is the Resistance for the Rule of Law in Burundi (RED-Tabara), which has been less active in recent years but has conducted attacks on Burundian soil.

Burundi has sent more than 10,000 soldiers since October 2023 to help the Congolese army fight the M23 and other armed groups.