UN Decries ‘Summary Executions’ of Children in DR Congo
The United Nations stated Tuesday that the M23 armed group, which is supported by Rwanda, had carried out "summary executions" of children in Bukavu, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is "deteriorating sharply, resulting in serious human rights violations and abuses," the UN rights office warned.
“Our office has confirmed cases of summary execution of children by M23 after they entered the city of Bukavu last week,” rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva.
“We are also aware that children were in possession of weapons,” she said, calling on “Rwanda and M23 to ensure that human rights and international humanitarian law are respected”.
M23 fighters and Rwandan soldiers moved into the adjoining province of South Kivu after taking control of Goma, the city of North Kivu. On Friday, they made their way into the outskirts of Bukavu, the seat of South Kivu, and on Sunday, they took it. Cases of "ill treatment, conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence, child and forced recruitment, intimidation, and death threats" had also been reported by the rights office, according to Shamdasani.
HCRC News
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