A leader of
a Ugandan Islamic extremist rebel group is dead following a clash with
government forces in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Agence
France Presse reports that DR Congo soldiers in North Kivu province have killed
Kasada Karume.
Karume was
number three in the leadership of the Islamic extremist rebel group known as
the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
The killing took
place at an ADF rebel camp in Bango, approximately 100 kilometres from the town
of Beni.
Over 260
people, mostly civilians, were hacked to death between October and December
last year in Beni and the surrounding area.
The ADF rebels,
who are approximately 400 in number, have been active in the region since being
driven out of Uganda in 1995.
Congolese
army spokesman General Leon-Richard Kasonga said after soldiers secured the
rebel camp they discovered mass graves and hostages the ADF were preparing to
execute.
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| DR Congolese soldiers stand guard |
The United
Nation’s mission to DR Congo (MONUSCO) said it has received reports of 47
bodies in five mass graves in Bango and stated that human rights investigators have
been deployed to the area.
Since the
start of the year at least 60 people have died in attacks in and around Beni as
well as the Orientale province.
The most recent
killings saw 19 people massacred on April 15 in Beni, with five more killed in
the same area a few days later.
Most of the
victims were beheaded.