Atrocities against women, children reported in DRCongo

By Godfrey Olukya

ARU, Democratic Republic of Congo

The UN high commissioner for human rights said Tuesday that militiamen linked to the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo have in recent months been committing such atrocities as cutting babies' limbs and stabbing pregnant women.

A UN statement quoted Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, the commissioner, relating harrowing reports of killings and mutilation, including of children as young as two, in the Kasai region.

"One 2-month-old baby seen by my team had been hit by two bullets four hours after birth; the mother was also wounded. At least two pregnant women were sliced open and their fetuses mutilated," he added.

He said he was not happy about the link between government and the group killing people.

“I am appalled by the creation and arming of a militia, the Bana Mura -- allegedly to support the authorities in fighting the ,” he added.

Since August 2016, militiamen have been clashing with government forces, leading to over 1,000 deaths and displacing over 1 million people.