Kinshasa (Congo), May 25 (Xinhua-ANI): The mutiny by soldiers of the DR Congo Armed Forces (FARDC) at Katchanga area of North-Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) could have resulted into deaths of almost 100 people, a source from the North-Kivu civil society has said.
"According to the latest information, about 100 people were killed during the mutiny by the FARDC soldiers at Katchanga. About 50 others were wounded and women were raped," said Thomas Kabuya, a civil society official in North-Kivu.
"The Katchanga village was awaken by gunshots from automatic weapons and the local population was forced to seek refuge near a camp of the United Nations Mission for Stabilization of Congo (MONUSCO). Initially we thought that it was an attack from the M23 group which is made up of the renegade soldiers allied to general Bosco Ntaganda or that they were fighters of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), but later we learnt that the looting was organized by some FARDC members who had revolted," he explained.
He said that the looting was as a result of disagreement between FARDC soldiers who had been deployed to the area to chase away the M23 fighters.
"Some FARDC soldiers were left without any food or money while they were fighting, whereas when the FARDC contingent came to fight against the M23, the local population welcomed them and gave them food, money and drinks," he said.
Kabuya said that the death toll is expected to rise.
Since Saturday last week, the FARDC launched an offensive against the M23 fighters especially in Masisi, Rutshuru and Jomba territories in North-Kivu province. (Xinhua-ANI)
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