UN mission condemns deadly attacks by rebels in eastern DR Congo

The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has deplored an attack this week by Rwandan rebels on Congolese armed forces in the DRC’s far east that has left at least 16 civilians dead.

Three members of the Congolese army (FARDC) and five rebels from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) were also killed during the fighting, which began late on Monday night and lasted around seven hours.

The attack took place in the village of Hombo, which straddles the border between North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and is located about 120 kilometres west of the city of Bukavu. Both provinces have been wracked by violence in recent years.

“We condemn all attacks such as these,” Madnodje Mounoubai, a spokesperson for the UN peacekeeping mission (MONUC), told the UN News Centre. “This is part of a pattern by the rebels where they try to terrorize the civilian population.”

Mr. Mounoubai, who said the FARDC captured nine FDLR members in the fighting, also warned that the death toll may rise further.

UN blue helmets have been working with the army in the Kivus to protect civilians and to ward off attacks by the FDLR and other rebel groups. The rebels and the army have both committed numerous human rights abuses against civilians during the fighting.

“We are now exploring the possibility of deploying a UN protection team [to the Hombo area] to analyze the situation and see what kinds of action should be taken by MONUC,” Mr. Mounoubai said, stressing that the protection of civilians remains the Mission’s highest priority.