NEWS- The Democratic Republic of Congo Prime Minister, Ms Judith Suminwa has disclosed that more than 7,000 people have been killed in fighting in the Eastern parts of the country since last month and a significant number of civilians are among the dead.
While speaking to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Switzerland Ms Suminwa warned that the security situation in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has reached alarming levels and said that about 3,000 deaths were reported in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province.
She added that more than 2,500 bodies were buried without being identified while another 1,500 were still in morgues.
Democratic Republic of Congo accuse Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group that captured swaths of the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, including the key cities of Goma and Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu Province to be behind the killings.
The group’s rapid offensive has prompted concern from world leaders, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who recently warned that the fighting could push the entire region over the precipice.
Rwanda has rejected allegations from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the UN and Western governments that it supports the rebels with weapons and troops.
During yesterday address in Geneva, Ms Suminwa urged the world to act and to impose dissuasive sanctions on Rwanda amid mass displacement and reports of summary executions.
“It is impossible to describe the screams and cries of millions of victims of this conflict,” She said.
The UN General Secretary António Guterres also told the Human Rights Council that the situation in the country was a deadly whirlwind of violence and horrifying human rights abuses and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo must be respected.
The UN has since disclosed that, rebel fighters took control of Bukavu just over a week ago after first capturing Goma last month and about 40,000 people have fled the violence to neighbouring Burundi over a two-week span.
According to UN experts, the M23 is the most prominent of more than 100 armed groups vying for control of the eastern DRC’s trillions of dollars in mineral wealth and the rebels are supported by about 4,000 soldiers from neighbouring Rwanda.
Additional Reporting from Al Jazeera Africa Desk.
