DRC: two mass graves discovered in Ituri with at least 50 victims
Civilians in Ituri province are regularly targeted by armed groups.
Here, a man on a road between Bunia and Mambasa, in Ituri.
© John Wessels / AFP
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
This is far from being a first in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Several fake communities were discovered in Ituri by MONUSCO peacekeepers, a UN spokesperson announced on Wednesday 18 January.
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At least 50 people were killed in attacks that took place last weekend, said a source close to Monusco.
In all, three mass graves were discovered: two in the village of Nyamamba and another in the village of Mbogi, about 30 kilometers east of Bunia, the provincial capital.
After the attacks, the alert was given by witnesses who informed the UN mission.
Patrols have been deployed on the spot, indicates Ndeye Khady Lo, the acting spokesperson for Monusco joined by RFI.
And on these three mass graves, the Forces of the UN peace mission were able to identify the victims with their eyes: 12 women and 6 children, the others being men.
These killings are attributed to the militiamen of Codeco, an armed group from the Lendu agricultural community, active in this area, and which carries out regular attacks against Hema herders.
According to Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the UN secretary general, the militia of several thousand men claims to protect the Lendu tribe against the Hema tribe and the national army.
At least 195
civilians killed since early December
Since December 1, at least 195 civilians have been killed in attacks attributed to Codeco, as well as the Zaire group.
Both villages are in Ituri, a province bordering Uganda where
attacks on civilians
by community militias have repeatedly occurred, including last week when
dozens of civilians were killed in attacks by various armed groups.
.
Monusco indicated that it "
brings its support to the Congolese judicial system to
" support the judicial investigation opened by the Congolese authorities, and "
calls for those responsible
(for the attacks)
to be brought to justice
".
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To read also:
Eastern DRC: the M23 rebels have not started their withdrawal towards Mount Sabinyo
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