Democratic Republic of Congo: Civilians Under Attack in Masisi Territory | Doctors Without Borders

Democratic Republic of Congo: Civilians Under Attack in Masisi Territory | Doctors Without Borders:

BRUSSELS/NEW YORK, OCTOBER 1, 2013—Several dozen civilians were attacked amid recent clashes between armed groups in the Masisi territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo's North Kivu province, the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said today.

MSF immediately organized mobile clinics to provide emergency care to survivors and is calling on the armed groups not to attack civilians.

"Several villages are only accessible by foot and we are afraid we'll arrive there too late," said Bertrand Perrochet, MSF head of mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. "Nonetheless, it already seems clear that acts of violence have been perpetrated against the civilians and we cannot remain silent when confronted with that. The armed groups present in the region must respect the civilian populations in accordance with international humanitarian law."

Armed groups clashed on Sept. 27 in the chieftainship of Osso-Banyungu, and attacks against civilians took place in the villages of Butemure, Lwibo, Bikudje, Majengo, and Katiri. It is difficult to confirm the number of dead, wounded, and missing because many villagers fled into the bush out of fear of further attacks.