DRC: 14 Tribesmen Killed by Militia in West

An administrative official reported on Monday that 14 individuals had been killed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), including two traditional chiefs, since Friday.

Amedeo Bangambuma, administrator of the Bagata territory in Kwilu province, told AFP on Monday that assailants from Kwamouth assassinated the leader of the hamlet of Kimpasi in the Kisia-Ngasi grouping inside his home.

Twelve residents from this group (group of communities) in Kisia-Ngasi were slain by attackers in a farm on Friday. He continued, saying that all of the victims were from the Teke village and were slaughtered with machetes. "The leader of the gathering who came to enquire about the situation was also killed," he said.

The Kisia-Ngasi tribe is located in a far-off region. Security personnel are not there, and the closest police station is around 100 kilometres distant, according to Mr. Bangambuma.

He said that militiamen from "Kwamouth territory, on the other side of the river, who came to assault Teke people in Bagata territory" in neighbouring Kwilu province were responsible for the killings.

The Kwamouth territory is situated in the Ma-Ndombe province, which has experienced widespread intergroup conflict since last June over a land dispute between the Teke, who believe they are the original inhabitants and owners of the villages along the Congo River for a distance of about 200 kilometres, and the Yaka, who arrived after them.

At a far-off location is the Kisia-Ngasi cluster. According to Mr. Bangambuma, there are no security personnel present, and the closest police station is around 100 kilometres distant.

He said that the killers were militias from the neighbouring Kwilu province's "Kwamouth region, on the other side of the river, who came to assault Teke people in Bagata territory."

The Kwamouth territory is situated in the Ma-Ndombe province, which has been plagued by intergroup fighting since last June over a land dispute between the Teke, who believe they are the original inhabitants and owners of the villages along the Congo River for a distance of roughly 200 kilometres, and the Yaka, who arrived after them.