Congolese rebels have said hundreds of civilians were killed in an attack last week by acombined force of pro-government soldiers, tribal militia and Ugandan army troops in the northeast of the country.
Thomas Lubanga, president of the small rebel group Union des Patriots Congolais (UPC), said the killings took place on February 24 and 25, at Bogoro, south of Bunia, not far from theUgandan border.
"Until yesterday we had counted up to 467 people had beenkilled. We're still receiving more reports today. They were allcivilians," Lubanga told Reutersby telephone from Bunia.
A rival rebel group confirmed the killings. "It's very true.We heard from our people there was fighting in Bogoro and over250 people have been killed and the number is still rising,"Faustin Ndekesiri, spokesman for the new RCD-Kisangani, toldReuters by telephone from Uganda.
The RCD-Kisangani is a breakaway faction of the CongoleseRally for Democracy-Liberation Movement (RCD-ML).
A United Nations mission in Congo (MONUC) official confirmedthe attack took place. It was unclear how they were killed.