KINSHASA — Three days of national mourning
began in the DR Congo on Saturday after the alleged massacre of civilians in
the country’s east, with the government now giving a death toll of “more than
100”.اضافة اعلان
On Thursday, the government accused the M23 militia
of slaughtering 50 people at Kishishe, a village around 70km north of the city
of Goma.
The M23 hit back, saying the allegations were
“baseless” and denying that it targeted civilians.
President Felix Tshisekedi “condemned in the
strongest terms the massacre of more than 100 compatriots in Kishishe” at a
cabinet meeting, according to government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said.
The March 23 movement, or M23, is a predominantly
Congolese Tutsi rebel group that was dormant for years.
It took up arms again in November last year and
seized the town of Bunagana on the border with Uganda in June.
After a brief period of calm, it went on the
offensive again in October, greatly extending the territory under its control
and advancing towards Goma.
Kinshasa accuses its smaller neighbor Rwanda of
providing M23 with support, something that UN experts and US officials have
also pointed to in recent months. Kigali denies the charge.
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