The Rhine River

Great Lakes Region

Some 39 people were burned alive on Saturday when Rwandan [Hutu] rebels torched a village in Eastern Congo after accusing the residents of providing information to UN peacekeepers. ...

“People were locked up inside their huts and then set afire,” the spokeswoman was quoting as saying. “The vast majority were women and children. Thirty-nine were burned alive, and seven were injured,”she said.

Conflicting explanations are being offered for the attack.

“Some people said it was in retaliation for the Congolese army attacks on rebels, while others said that it was to discourage people from helping the UN troops,” the spokeswoman was quoted as saying.

According to news agencies, a Congolese government official in Bukavu quoted survivors as saying the rebels had taunted their victims for supporting UN peacekeepers, who have been cheered in parts of South Kivu during operations in the past week.

posted by Nathanael @ 9:08 AM