A newly-released UN report states that Congolese government troops were responsible for mass rapes in two villages in Congo's North Kivu Provience from December 31, 2010 to January 1, 2011. At least 47 women, aged 16 to 65, were victims of rape and other sexual violence when 100 soldiers attacked their villages, accusing the villagers of supporting enemy troops. The victims included pregnant women, and some women were raped in front of their children. The report states that the actual number of victims could be much higher, as many villagers had fled to other towns and others refused to speak with investigators out of fear of subsequent attacks. The UN reported that the Congolese military has not cooperated with investigators and has hindered attempts to prosecute those responsible for the attacks. Congolese forces were also implicated in the mass rape of over 100 women in another village in June 2011.
The full report can be accessed here (PDF, 17 pages).
Compiled from: Jordans, Frank, UN report: Congo gov’t troops blamed for mass rape, UN Wire, (22 July 2011).