The Congolese army said Friday it had " neutralized " a rebel leader accused of the massacre of dozens of civilians in Ituri in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo. " On March 25, the nominated Ngudjolo, radicalized leader of an armed group from Djugu in Ituri, was definitively neutralized by the army with ten of his men, " General Léon-Richard Kasonga, spokesman, told the press. word from the Congolese army.
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The Congolese army said on Thursday that the rebel leader had been " seriously injured " in clashes in which seven militiamen were killed. Ngudjolo was the head of the armed group Coopérative pour le développement du Congo (Codeco), which has been very active since June in the Djugu territory.
The northern region of Ituri has returned to violence since the end of 2017. More than 700 civilians have been killed there in a conflict worthy of a " crime against humanity ", according to the United Nations.
The Codeco armed group is a pro-Lendu militia. One of the major challenges of the current conflict is "Lendu land control", according to a joint report by the United Nations Mission in the Congo (Monusco) and the human rights office, published in January. The victims have been mainly Hema since the end of 2017.