Eight civilians have been killed and 12 others injured following drone and heavy artillery attacks allegedly carried out by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC), according to the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels.
Lawrence Kanyuka, the spokesperson for M23, said the casualties were recorded after drone and heavy artillery strikes targeted densely populated areas of Kibanda Mangobo on Friday.
In an update issued on Saturday Morning, Kanyuka stated that the eight people killed and the 12 injured are part of a provisional toll resulting from the attacks.
He further alleged that at around 5:15 a.m., coalition forces allied to the Kinshasa government carried out what he described as “intensive and indiscriminate” bombings on the densely populated area of Mushaki and surrounding villages.
According to him, the strikes killed several civilians and destroyed a number of homes.
Kanyuka also claimed that at about 6:00 a.m., another attack was launched on the heavily populated area of Gakenke in Minembwe, which he said continued what he described as a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing.
He added that forces of the Congolese Revolutionary Army (ARC), the armed wing of M23, were continuing their operations “with professionalism and discipline” to defend civilians affected by the conflict.
The Congolese government had not immediately responded to the allegations at the time of filing this report.
