Reports: DR Congo troops attack villagers

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-13-2008 09:24

The crisis continues in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Government troops are being accused of rampaging through villages and raping civilians.

Government troops are being accused of rampaging through villages and raping civilians. (CCTV.com)

Three quarters of a million people have fled their homes to escape the fighting.

U.N. peacekeepers say they have reports that DRC army troops raped civilians near the town of Kanyabayonga in violent attacks that began overnight and lasted into Tuesday morning.

A spokesman said 700 to 800 DRC soldiers then fled Kanyabayonga and went on a rampage through several villages to the north.

As the conflict continues, aid workers are desperately trying to help at least 250,000 people who have fled their homes.

Dr. Abdullah Togolah, said, International Red Cross, said, "They left everything, they just came with their kids, even the big majority of them don't have their ID cards."

On Wednesday, neighboring Angola said it was mobilizing troops to send to the DRC, but did not specify how many or what their mission will be.

A Southern African regional leaders' meeting has discussed sending troops to reinforce the DRC army near Goma, where rebels have besieged the region and pledged loyalty to renegade General Laurent Nkunda.

Lieutenant Eric, DRC Soldier, said, "The person we are fighting with is Nkunda and the Rwandans and we are here waiting for them and if they continue what they are doing it will be another genocide like in Rwanda."

Rebel leader Nkunda says he is fighting to protect minority Tutsis from Rwandan Hutu militants who took part in the 1994 genocide before escaping to the DRC.

In New York, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an immediate cease-fire so aid workers could urgently help the refugees.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei