The bodies of at least 25 people hacked to death by unidentified assailants have so far been discovered in Lutwegi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the public information officer for the UN mission in the eastern town of Goma, Jacqueline Chernard, told IRIN on Sunday. "We anticipate that the figure of those dead during the attack could rise," she said.
| "We haven't finished gluing all the pieces back together yet..." |
Quoting a local administrator of the affected area, in North Kivu Province, she said the dead were mostly women and children. She said 150 homes were completely burnt down by the unidentified attackers. In addition, a bridge connecting Lutwegi and neigbouring Goma has been severed, making it difficult for MONUC and humanitarian agencies to reach the displaced population. "We can only fly to a spot near the area and still have to walk for over fifteen kilometres along a muddy road to access the scene of the killings," she said. However, Chernard said, MONUC was preparing to inspect the scene mid-week. Meanwhile, she said, most of the villagers were still in the hiding within the surrounding the forests. |