Shameful: M-23 rebels in Congo raped five girls including 22 women, killed 131 civilians
United Nations. Last week, M23 rebels killed at least 131 civilians, including 17 women and 12 children, in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). “An additional eight people were shot and wounded, 60 abducted and at least 22 women and five girls raped,” Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said on Thursday.
“Our colleagues told us that the victims were killed with bullets and knives,” he said. Dujarric said, “The United Nations Mission, known as MONUSCO. This was confirmed following a preliminary investigation by human rights partners into attacks on civilians on 29 and 30 November in the villages of Kishishe and Bambo in the Rutshuru region of North Kivu province.”
“The UN peacekeeping mission condemns in the strongest terms this unspeakable violence against civilians and calls for emergency humanitarian assistance to be provided to the victims,” he said. “The mission welcomes the decision of the Congolese authorities to initiate legal proceedings against the perpetrators of these violations of human rights and international humanitarian law,” he added. He said the mission stands ready to assist in efforts to bring justice to the victims and calls for an immediate end to violence against civilians.
