M23 rebels arrived at Virunga Park from Mabenga to hunt alleged members of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and killed men dedicated to agricultural work, Radio Okapi reported.

This new massacre brings mourning to the families marked by the war, who tried to return to their homes in the area occupied by the M23 to carry out agricultural activities, said a statement condemning the massacre.

The events occurred amid the ceasefire agreed upon by the DRC and Rwanda on July 30th under the mediation of Angola, which has been in force since midnight on August 4th.

The M23 launched an offensive on August 2nd that allowed them to control the city of Ishasha, on the border between the DRC and Uganda, the second most important border post between these two countries. They also occupied a series of towns, which left them in possession of the southern and eastern shores of Lake Edouard, opening a maritime route to the northern end of the province of North Kivu.

The M23 stated that it does not have to abide by a ceasefire in whose negotiations it did not participate.

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