Minister: “Around 300” killed in the massacre in East DR Congo.

According to government minister Julien Paluku, some 300 people perished in an attack on villagers in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo last week that was attributed to the M23 rebel group.

The latest violence in the government’s months-long fight with the notorious armed organization M23 occurred just five days after the rebels and Congolese soldiers reached a ceasefire.

Prior to the government putting the death toll at more than 100, the army initially accused the M23 militants of killing at least 50 civilians in Kishishe village in the eastern North Kivu region last week.

However, Paluku and government spokesman Patrick Muyaya provided revised statistics for the fatal attack on Monday during a press briefing, citing information compiled by communities and civic society in the area.

According to industry minister Paluku, “we are looking at roughly 300 dead” of “people known to be regular citizens of Kishishe,” adding that the deceased had no affiliation with militia organizations.

According to Paluku, who oversaw North Kivu province from 2007 to 2019, “every village has been able to document the persons who died from units in Kishishe and its surroundings.”

“Over 105 deaths have occurred in one town alone,” he continued.

Although it claimed eight civilians were killed on November 29 during hostilities in the area, the rebel group has denied responsibility and labeled the accusations “baseless.”

According to Muyaya, who spoke to reporters, deaths were recorded from a civilian source, and at least 17 of them were thought to be children.

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