Peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have discovered mass graves containing the bodies of 49 civilians following a series of attacks blamed on a local armed group.
Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the United Nations, told reporters in New York yesterday that the graves had been uncovered in two villages in northeastern Ituri province, about 19 miles east of the town of Bunia.
A total of 42 victims, including six children, were discovered in a mass grave in the village of Nyamamba, while the bodies of seven other men were found in another village, Mbogi
Haq said the UN was calling for an investigation that would establish whether the mass graves and the attacks were linked.
He added that the UN regional peacekeeping operation, known as MONUSCO, was supporting the Congolese judicial system to investigate the attacks and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
