United Nations investigators have discovered a potential five probable mass grave sites in eastern Congo’s Ituri province said a UN peacekeeping mission.
The Ituru province has seen an outbreak of ethnic violence since December causing one of the African continent’s most serious refugee crises.
The report from the UN mission provides the most comprehensive portrait to date of the human cost of months of violence between Lendu pastoralists and Hema herders since December reports Reuters.
The UN refugee agency expects 200,000 refugees from Congo to reach Uganda this year.
The conflict between the two groups stemmed from disagreements over agricultural rights, mining and political representation.
Open warfare between the two communities from 1999-2007 killed approximately 50,000 people.
Aid agencies are trying to raise over $2 billion to respond to what they label as a “mega-disaster.” Congo’s government accused them of exaggerating the situation and boycotted a recent donor conference.
