UN accused of killing 5 in DRCongo

The governor of North Kivu province in the troubled eastern Democratic Republic of Congo told AFP yesterday that five civilians had been killed in a UN helicopter attack against rebel fighters this week.

The MONUSCO force, the United Nations' largest peacekeeping mission worldwide, on Tuesday announced it had carried out a helicopter-backed raid on rebels Monday under "its mandate to protect civilians" in the central Pinga region.

The raids were targeted at the Nduma Defense of Congo group, blamed for setting villages on fire in the region in recent days.

Governor Julien Paluku told AFP by phone that he had met with "a delegation" that had visited the scene.