The incident is said to have occurred on the night of April 4 to 5 in Kanzana, a locality in Nyiragongo territory.
In a statement released on Saturday, April 5, the group revealed that the victims included women and children and blamed what it described as 'enemies of peace under direct orders of the Kinshasa regime' for the killings.
AFC/M23 said the attack was carried out by infiltrators taking advantage of the group's policy of free movement and the lifting of roadblocks in areas under its control.
Describing the incident as an act of cowardice and terrorism, the rebel group warned the Congolese government against further such actions, vowing to take measures to neutralise those responsible.
'This organised crime orchestrated by Kinshasa, aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the AFC/M23, is an act of cowardice,' AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said in a statement.
The group also claimed that such acts undermine the ongoing ceasefire and efforts by the international community to find a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
"The AFC/M23 reiterates its commitment to protect and defend civilian populations, as well as to work towards lasting peace in the DRC," the group added.
The Kinshasa government is yet to respond to the allegations.
AFC/M23, which says it is fighting for the rights of marginalised groups, including Kinyarwanda-speaking communities who have endured decades of persecution in the east, controls large swaths of territory in the east Congo following its recent offensive.
The group is scheduled to engage in direct talks with Kinshasa in Qatar on April 9, with the aim of resolving the conflict.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
