Both sides of Congo civil war commit executions, rapes: UN
The UN has accused both sides of the Congo civil war of mass executions and rapes, as Rwandan-backed rebels move deeper into the country's east which is rich in minerals such as diamonds, gold, copper and coltan used in mobile phones.
The rebels have quickly expanded their presence after capturing Goma, the region’s major city, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
Dujarric said the World Health Organization and its partners conducted an assessment with Congo’s government through January 26-30 “and reported that 700 people have been killed and 2,800 injured” in Goma and the vicinity.
“These numbers are expected to rise as more information becomes available,” he added.
M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, have captured several towns after seizing Goma, a humanitarian hub critical for many of the six million people displaced by the conflict.
UN Human Rights Office spokesman Jeremy Laurence reported on Friday on the worsening human rights crisis in the aftermath of the rebellion.
According to Laurence, bomb strikes on at least two internally displaced persons’ camps killed an unspecified number of people.
“We have also documented summary executions of at least 12 people by M23” from January 26 to 28, he added.
Congolese forces have also been accused of sexual violence as fighting rages on in the region, Laurence said.
“We are verifying reports that 52 women were raped by Congolese troops in South Kivu, including alleged reports of gang rape.”
The M23 and more than 100 armed groups are vying for control in Congo’s mineral-rich east, which holds vast deposits critical to much of the world’s technology. They are backed by around 4,000 troops from neighboring Rwanda.
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