The ICC head lawyer has told all armed groups in Congo they will go to court. Karim Khan spoke after meeting the Congo leader. He said that any group fighting in any part of Congo needs to know they can be caught and tried.
The M23 armed group, backed by Rwanda, has recently taken over large areas in East Congo. They are the strongest of more than 100 armed groups trying to control East Congo, which has many valuable minerals. The United Nations says about 4,000 soldiers from Rwanda help the M23 fighters.
Three weeks ago, M23 took control of Goma, the main city in east Congo. They also run both North Kivu and South Kivu areas. After they took Goma, M23 said they wanted to march to Kinshasa, the capital city more than 2,000 kilometers away.
M23 makes local people and police join them by force. Since February, more than 50,000 people have run away to Burundi. They had to swim across the Rusizi River, which is very dangerous. The BBC says more than 20 people died in two weeks trying to cross this scary river. The water is 10 meters deep in some parts.
Last October, the ICC started looking again at crimes in Congo. They focus on what has happened in North Kivu since January 2022. The Court says the fighting since 2022 connects to problems that started in July 2002.
Khan said all armed groups and countries that help them must follow the law. He met with Congo leader Felix Tshisekedi who plans to hold a big meeting in April in Kinshasa. This meeting aims to find fair answers for Congo.
The ICC lawyer also talked with many Congo court officials about working together better. He met people who were hurt by sex crimes. Khan said his office wants to help these people and make sure bad acts against them do not go free.
The M23 armed group, backed by Rwanda, has recently taken over large areas in East Congo. They are the strongest of more than 100 armed groups trying to control East Congo, which has many valuable minerals. The United Nations says about 4,000 soldiers from Rwanda help the M23 fighters.
Three weeks ago, M23 took control of Goma, the main city in east Congo. They also run both North Kivu and South Kivu areas. After they took Goma, M23 said they wanted to march to Kinshasa, the capital city more than 2,000 kilometers away.
M23 makes local people and police join them by force. Since February, more than 50,000 people have run away to Burundi. They had to swim across the Rusizi River, which is very dangerous. The BBC says more than 20 people died in two weeks trying to cross this scary river. The water is 10 meters deep in some parts.
Last October, the ICC started looking again at crimes in Congo. They focus on what has happened in North Kivu since January 2022. The Court says the fighting since 2022 connects to problems that started in July 2002.
Khan said all armed groups and countries that help them must follow the law. He met with Congo leader Felix Tshisekedi who plans to hold a big meeting in April in Kinshasa. This meeting aims to find fair answers for Congo.
The ICC lawyer also talked with many Congo court officials about working together better. He met people who were hurt by sex crimes. Khan said his office wants to help these people and make sure bad acts against them do not go free.
