GOMA, Congo (AP) — Residents of Uvira in eastern Congo expressed concerns Friday that decomposing bodies might spread disease after authorities said 171 bodies were found in mass graves following the withdrawal of M23 rebels from the city.
The governor of South-Kivu province, Jean-Jacques Purusi, said Thursday the dead bodies were found in two mass graves on the outskirts of the major city and blamed the rebels for the deaths.
The Associated Press could not independently verify the claims. An M23 spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Purusi said the victims would be buried only after medical examiners complete the required procedures and that the site should not be disturbed in the meantime.
Flavien Kalenga Mutumishi, who lives near one of the graves, said Friday that he and several other residents discovered about a dozen decomposing bodies after the rebels’ withdrawal and alerted authorities.
He raised concerns about potential health risks, saying one of the mass graves is located inside a residential compound.
“We found bodies that had been poorly and partially buried in shallow pits,” Mutumishi told the AP by phone. “This poses a great danger to nearby communities.”
Another resident said they had alerted authorities about decomposing bodies in the same compound.
“That is why we felt compelled to call in health workers to carry out the work. Unfortunately, they were afraid because there was no covering over the grave,” said the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisals.
Civil society groups and other residents said authorities had restricted access to the mass graves and banned people from taking photos.
Purusi said judicial authorities had opened an investigation and urged the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known as MONUSCO, and regional bodies to investigate as well.
A MONUSCO spokesperson, Ndeye Khady Lo, said the mission could not independently confirm the reports of mass graves, citing a lack of detailed and verifiable information about the location, number of victims and circumstances.
The governor and civil society leaders in Uvira alleged that M23 killed the individuals because they were suspected of belonging to the Congolese army or a pro-government militia.
Both the Congolese military and M23 have been accused by rights groups of extrajudicial killings and other abuses.
M23 took control of Uvira in December following a rapid offensive. More than 1,500 people were killed and about 300,000 displaced, according to regional authorities.
The rebel group later withdrew from the city, describing the move as a “unilateral trust-building measure” requested by the United States to facilitate a peace process.
Congo, the U.S. and U.N. experts accuse Rwanda of backing M23, which has grown from hundreds of members in 2021 to around 6,500 fighters, according to the U.N.
More than 100 armed groups are vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo, near the border with Rwanda, most prominently M23. The conflict has created one of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises, with more than 7 million people displaced, according to the U.N. agency for refugees.
Despite the signing of a deal between the Congolese and Rwandan governments brokered by the U.S. and ongoing negotiations between rebels and Congo, fighting continues on several fronts in eastern Congo, claiming numerous civilian and military casualties.
Kamale reported from Kinshasa, Congo. Janvier Barhahiga in Bukavu, Congo, contributed to this report.
FILE - Burundian citizens who work in Uvira, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and could not cross back into their home country due to fighting, cross the border into Burundi, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa, File)
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Secretary of State Marco Rubio will make a quick trip to Israel early next week, the State Department said, as tensions between the United States and Iran remain high after their latest nuclear talks and American forces gather in the region.
The U.S. Embassy in Israel had earlier urged staff who want to leave to depart, joining other nations in encouraging people to leave the region and signaling that U.S. military action might be imminent. The announcement of Rubio's visit could indicate a longer timeline for any potential strike.
A confidential report from the U.N. nuclear watchdog meanwhile confirmed that Iran has not offered inspectors access to sensitive nuclear sites since they were heavily bombed during the 12-day war launched by Israel last June. As a result, it said it could not confirm Iran's claims that it stopped uranium enrichment after the U.S. and Israeli strikes.
The report was circulated to member countries and seen by The Associated Press.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened military action if Iran does not agree to a far-reaching deal on its nuclear program. Iran insists it has the right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes and denies seeking a nuclear weapon.
The State Department said in a statement that Rubio would visit Israel on Monday and Tuesday to “discuss a range of regional priorities including Iran, Lebanon, and ongoing efforts to implement President Trump’s 20-Point Peace Plan for Gaza.” It offered no other details.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long urged tougher U.S. action against Iran, and has warned that Israel will repond to any Iranian attack.
The announcement of Rubio's visit came just hours after the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem implemented “authorized departure” status for non-essential personnel and family members, which means that eligible staffers can leave the country voluntarily at government expense.
In an email, U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee urged staff considering departure to do so quickly, advising them to to focus initially on getting any flight out of Israel and to then make their way to Washington.
“Those wishing to take AD should do so TODAY,” Huckabee wrote, using an acronym for “authorized departure.”
“While there may be outbound flights over the coming days, there may not be,” he added, in an email that was recounted to The Associated Press by someone involved with the U.S. mission who wasn't authorized to share details.
On a town hall meeting Friday after the email was sent, Huckabee told staff that he was encouraging airlines to keep flying.
Iran and the United States on Thursday walked away from another round of nuclear negotiations in Geneva without a deal. Technical discussions are scheduled to take place in Vienna next week.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance was to meet later on Friday in Washington with Oman’s foreign minister, Badr al-Busaidi, who has been mediating the talks, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting is private.
Earlier, al-Busaidi said that there had been significant progress made on Thursday, though officials from Iran and the United States haven’t announced steps forward.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday said “what needs to happen has been clearly spelled out from our side," without offering specifics. Iran has long demanded relief from heavy international sanctions in return for taking steps to limit but not end its nuclear program.
The U.S. has gathered a massive fleet of aircraft and warships in the Middle East, with one aircraft carrier already in place and another heading to the region. Iran says it will respond to any U.S. attack by targeting American forces in the region, potentially including those stationed in U.S. bases in allied Arab countries.
Airlines such as Netherlands-based KLM have already announced plans to suspend flights out of Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport, and other embassies have also made plans for authorized departures from Israel and neighboring countries.
Britain’s Foreign Office said that “due to the security situation, U.K. staff have been temporarily withdrawn from Iran.” It said the embassy was operating remotely.
Australia on Wednesday “directed the departure of all dependents of Australian officials posted to Israel in response to the deteriorating security situation in the Middle East.” China, India and several European countries with missions in Iran have advised citizens to avoid travel to the country.
China's Foreign Ministry also advised its citizens already in Iran to leave, according to a statement reported by Chinese state media.
Metz reported from Ramallah, West Bank and Lee from Washington. Seung Min Kim in Washington and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut contributed to this report.
From a lookout, a man uses a binocular looking for the possible arrival of the US Navy's aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the Mediterranean Sea near the coast of Haifa, northern Israel, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
People gather at a lookout to look for the possible arrival of the US Navy's aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the Mediterranean Sea near the coast of Haifa, northern Israel, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
People gather at a lookout to look for the possible arrival of the US Navy's aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the Mediterranean Sea near the coast of Haifa, northern Israel, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
FILE - U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee poses for a photo during an interview in Jerusalem, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, File)
