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The UN described it as one of the most appalling attacks in a new wave of violence by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed extremist rebel group.<\/p>\n
Four wards housing patients were set ablaze during the assault in Byambwe, a remote community about 60 kilometres west of Lubero in the restive North Kivu province, which has been plagued by fighting between a plethora of armed groups and national security forces for years.<\/p>\n
The Byambwe killings were part of a series of coordinated attacks carried out between 13 and 19 November in several localities of Lubero Territory.<\/p>\n
According to information gathered on the ground by UN human rights staff from the MONUSCO peacekeeping mission, 89 civilians were killed in total, including at least 20 women and an undetermined number of children.<\/p>\n
Other areas hit by the violence include Mabiango, Tunarudi, Sambalysa, Thucha and Butsili, where abuses ranged from abductions and the looting of medical supplies to the burning of homes and the destruction of property.<\/p>\n
UN Spokesperson St\u00e9phane Dujarric told Friday\u2019s briefing in New York that \u201cas we dig deeper, and as we have sent people there, the information we have received is truly horrific<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n The UN extended its condolences to the affected families and communities, stressing that attacks on civilians, particularly medical facilities, may amount to war crimes and serious violations of international humanitarian law.<\/p>\n \u201cWe express our solidarity with all those affected,\u201d Mr. Dujarric said. \u201cViolence committed against civilians, including the targeting of medical facilities, may constitute war crimes<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n MONUSCO said it remains fully committed to supporting Congolese authorities in protecting civilians, preventing further human rights violations and combating impunity.<\/p>\n The stabilization mission urged national authorities to promptly open independent and credible investigations to identify those responsible for the massacres and bring them to justice.<\/p>\n It also renewed its call for armed groups operating in the region to lay down their weapons unconditionally.<\/p>\n Mr. Dujarric said that \u201call too often\u201d, massacres of the kind reported in Lubero \u201chappen away from the eyes of journalists, away from the eyes of the international community.\u201d<\/p>\nSolidarity with victims<\/strong><\/h2>\n