Congo’s security forces face abuse allegations over crackdown on violent youth gangs

Congo’s security forces have launched a crackdown on machete-wielding youth gangs known as “bebe noir.” While residents welcome the move, rights groups condemn reports of summary executions. The gangs, made up mostly of poor youths aged 13–30, have been blamed for rising violence. Despite Congo abolishing the death penalty in 2015, the killings have stirred fear as authorities plan a youth reintegration center near Brazzaville.

Since early October, Congo’s presidential protection force has been carrying out a major security operation targeting criminal gangs made up of machete-wielding teenagers, locally known as “bebe noir,” or “black babies.” These violent groups have sown fear in communities for years, launching attacks on residents, looting businesses, and breaking into homes in major cities across the country.

For many Congolese citizens, the government’s crackdown has brought a sense of relief after enduring years of insecurity. “It’s a good initiative because Congolese people are always afraid to go out. I hope it lasts,” said one resident of Pointe-Noire, a city in southern Congo. Shop owners and traders have also expressed similar sentiments. “We shopkeepers now have to close earlier than planned, otherwise they take our money or kill us with machetes,” one vendor lamented, describing the daily threat of violence.

However, while a large portion of the population supports the authorities’ efforts to restore safety, others have expressed deep concern over the brutal tactics reportedly being used by the security forces. Shocking images and videos circulating on social media appear to show summary executions of suspected gang members, sparking outrage and condemnation from human rights defenders.

Activists have accused the government of resorting to excessive force and disregarding the rule of law. “It is unacceptable that we can see online what is happening to Congolese citizens whose lives are taken in a click,” said human rights advocate Anael Yeke. “Today we are witnessing summary executions while we have a legal framework in our country. If these offenders are identified, they must be handed over to the proper authorities so justice can be served.”

The so-called bebe noir are mostly young men between the ages of 13 and 30, many of whom come from impoverished backgrounds. A prosecutor in Brazzaville, the capital, has described their violent acts as a form of “terrorism,” reflecting the growing alarm over the scale and brutality of their activities. Analysts point to rampant unemployment, economic hardship, and the absence of social protection as key drivers behind the surge in youth crime in Congo, one of Africa’s leading oil producers.

Although Congo officially abolished the death penalty in 2015, the recent wave of extrajudicial killings has reignited a climate of fear and mistrust between citizens and the state. Critics warn that such actions risk undermining human rights and the country’s legal system. Meanwhile, in a sign of potential reform, the government is preparing to open a youth reintegration center in the Bouenza region, about 200 kilometers from Brazzaville, aimed at rehabilitating young offenders and offering them a second chance at life.