Hundreds of women were raped and burned in prison in Congo

There was a big escape from the prison, with 4,000 prisoners escaping. A few hundred women were also in that prison. They were all raped and then burned down the female wing. They all died after that. Vivian Van de Perre, to The Guardian

On Monday (3), the special representative of the UN Secretary-General on Conflict Sexual Violence, Pamila Patten, said at least 165 women were allegedly raped during the escape. “I am deeply concerned about alarming reports of a rape increase throughout the paths traveled by the conflict groups in Kivu do Sul, with reports of women being raped multiple times,” Patten said.

UN representatives failed to visit the prison to investigate the deeper case. The organization faces security challenges and difficulty access to prison for investigation.

M23 declared humanitarian truce

On Monday, the M23 group declared a humanitarian “ceasefire” in Congo from Tuesday (4). Conflict has lasted more than three years. Six ceasefes and truce have already been declared between the two parts, but the agreements are always broken.

The rebels took the city of Goma, capital of the province of Kivu do Norte, and advance to Kivu do Sul. According to a local source in Bukavu interviewed by AFP, the city “remains calm for now,” but the reports suggest that the M23 is “reorganizing with reinforcements and weapons deliveries to go forward, now that the fights have ended in Gum”.