They find fifty bodies in mass graves in the DRC

Jan. 19 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has reported that the bodies of a total of 51 civilians have been found in various mass graves in the province of Ituri, in the northeast of the country.

In the first grave, in the village of Nyamamba, 42 victims were found, including twelve women and six minors. In a second grave, in the Mbogi village, there would be seven more men.

The UN deputy spokesman, Farhan Haq, explained this Wednesday that the bodies have been found in two different villages, after peacekeeping forces visited the area due to the attacks registered this weekend.

“The peacekeeping forces launched a patrol to the area immediately after receiving reports of attacks on civilians by the Congolese Development Cooperative (CODECO) militias over the weekend, that’s when they made the appalling discoveries,” the spokesperson described.

For the moment, he has not wanted to link the mass graves with the combats that have left more than 60 civilians dead during the second week of January, indicating that they will wait to pronounce on the results of the investigations.

Haq has indicated that MONUSCO is supporting the Congolese judicial system to investigate the attacks and has called on the culprits to be brought to justice.

In addition, the spokesman stressed that “these incidents have occurred in the midst of a significant deterioration in the security situation”, since since last month the mission has reported the death of 195 civilians, as well as 68 injured and 84 kidnapped. during various incidents.

Along with CODECO, three other fearsome armed groups operate mainly in the region: the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), the Front for the Patriotic Resistance of Ituri (FRPI) and the Congo Patriotic and Integrationist Force (FPIC).