Kinshasa, October 17th, 2022 (CPA).- The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) have arrested 57 alleged perpetrators of the massacres of 180 people in deadly violence between two communities in two neighboring provinces of Kinshasa, a-t- we learned Sunday from the provincial government of Kwilu.
According to the secretary general of the provincial government of Kwilu, Me Muma, these assailants, armed with 12 gauge and edged weapons, who came from Kwamouth (Mai-Ndombe) passing through the village of Pangulu, were apprehended in Kimpama in the territory of Bagata .
« These are young people not otherwise identified, who commit crimes and flee to hide in the forest before considering other blows, » said Muma.
At present, the situation is under control of the forces deployed by the central authorities, he said.
“We say hats off to our valiant elements of the FARDC who got their hands on these thugs. It is no longer a secret, this conflict is instrumentalised. The national army found calibers, machetes, knives, matches and other bladed weapons in their hands,” said the administrator of Bagata territory, Joseph Mankoto.
He urged the population to be vigilant, inviting justice to do its job so that these assailants are tried and sentenced so as not to leave room for impunity.
So far, the authorities have not indicated the judicial body that will deal with this case.
The Teke-Yaka conflict in the territory of Kwamouth, at the entrance to Kinshasa, a megalopolis of more than 10 million inhabitants, left more than « 180 dead », according to the government, before spreading to the neighboring province. Kwilu where violence is also recorded, especially in the territory of Bagata where 17 people were killed in the village Kinsele, located on the RN 17 between the locality Mongata and the City of Bandundu.
For nearly 30 years, the Congolese army has been fighting armed groups responsible for similar deadly violence in the eastern part of the country.
Defense Minister Gilbert Kabanda reassured the government that « the situation under control of the defense and security forces in the territory of Kwamouth in the province of Mai-Ndombe », reported the Minister of Communication and Media Patrick Muyaya.
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