UN mission in DR Congo voices concern over violence in Kasai region

The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) voiced concern over violence in the country's Kasai region, a UN spokesperson said here Wednesday.

The head of the UN mission, Maman Sidikou, said that the violence in the Kasais has claimed the lives of possibly more than 400 civilians as well as a significant number of members of the security forces, Eri Kaneko, the UN associate spokesperson, said at a daily news briefing here.

"MONUSCO encourages the government to intensify its efforts to find a political solution to the unrest and calls on the leadership of the Kamuina Nsapu and other militia to stop the senseless violence and immediately halt the recruitment of children," she said.

The mission initially deployed peacekeepers and reinforced police and civilian capacities in the Kasai region in November 2016, and has done so again more recently, Kaneko noted.

"It will continue to monitor and document allegations of serious human rights violations in the region, and is also available to support greater humanitarian access," she said.

In late February, the UN Security Council strongly condemned the recent violence in Kasai region, calling for a "credible and impartial investigation."

The 15-nation UN body expressed grave concern at the recent reports of serious violations of international humanitarian law committed by local militia in the central Kasai region, including unlawful recruitment and use of child soldiers, and of killings of civilians by members of the security forces of the DRC, all of which might constitute war crimes under international law. Endit