The March 23 Movement rebels and Armed Forces of Democratic Republic of Congo troops are trading counter accusations over the death of 50 civilians in Rutshuru territory, North Kivu province.
On Tuesday, 50 Congolese civilians were killed in Kishishe locality, bamboo Groupement, Bwito Chiefdom and the bodies were discovered hours after the fighting between M23 rebels and local armed groups opposing the rebels’ occupation in the area.
General Sylvain Ekenge, the FARDC Spokesperson yesterday released a statement attributing the killing of the civilians to M23 rebels for resisting rebels’ rule.
Lawrence Kanyuka, M23 rebels’ political spokesperson also released another statement rubbishing Ekenge’s accusations and described them as baseless and false.
Kanyuka in a statement accuses FARDC of collaborating with Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda rebels and militias of Mai mai and Nyatura among others and killed the civilians in order to tarnish the image of M23 that does not at all target civilians. He also accuses FARDC and the militia coalition of platting to carry out a genocide mission in Masisi territory with a mission of gaining sympathy by attributing it to M23. END