DRC: 34 civilians killed in Hutu village

Thirty-four civilians were killed on Sunday in an attack on Hutu village by militiamen of Nande ethnic in the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to official sources.

The attack targeted Luhanga village, in the Central East of the of North Kivu province. “The provisional toll reported 34 civilians killed”, Joy Bokele, the administrator of Lubero territory where the attack occurred told AFP.

“The village of Luhanga was attacked around 5:00 in the morning by Maï-Maï Mazembe”, said Bokele.

“They started attacking the position of the FARDC (Congolese army). While they were attacking the FARDC, another group carried out the killing or shooting the population”, he added.

The Maï-Maï Mazembe are a “vigilante” Nande group. One of the attackers was reportedly killed.

Luhanga is located in the South of Lubero territory, region where tensions have been high for a year between a part of the Nande and the Kobo group and on the other hand the Hutu.

Intercommunal clashes related to land disputes have lead to the deaths of many.