The Minister of Industry of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Julien Paluku, has raised to 272 the number of civilians killed last Tuesday in an alleged massacre committed by the rebel group March 23 Movement (M23) in the locality of Kisishe, Rutshuru territory, in the east of the country.
Paluku, former governor of the North Kivu region, explained at a press conference that among the dead there are minors who were massacred in a church and in a hospital.
However, the M23 denounced that Kinshasa’s accusations are «unfounded» and stressed that «the M23 has never attacked civilian populations».
In the framework of a summit in the Angolan capital, Luanda, to advance in the normalization of diplomatic relations, DRC and Rwanda agreed on a cease-fire last Friday, as well as a withdrawal of M23 from the recently conquered areas in the province.
The new round of talks in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, which kicked off on Monday last week, comes after the rebel group said it accepts in principle the agreement for a cessation of hostilities in North Kivu province, although it warned that it reserves any right to respond to any attack.
On the other hand, at least thirteen people were killed Monday in an attack by armed individuals in the village of Kingala Matele, in the territory of Bagata, in Kwilu.
The assailants, led by alias ‘Mobondo’, came from Bukangalonzo, in the province of Kwango, as explained by the head of the Wamba sector, Martin Gabia, in declarations to the Congolese portal Actualite. The village was looted by the attackers.
