U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesperson
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For Immediate Release
STATEMENT BY MARK TONER, ACTING SPOKESPERSON
February 19, 2017
Recent Killings in the Democratic Republic of Congo
The United States is deeply concerned by video footage that appears to show elements of the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo summarily executing civilians, including women and children.
Such extrajudicial killing, if confirmed, would constitute gross violations of human rights and threatens to incite widespread violence and instability in an already fragile country.
We call upon the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo to launch an immediate and thorough investigation, in collaboration with international organizations responsible for monitoring human rights, to identify those who perpetrated such heinous abuses, and to hold accountable any individual proven to have been involved.
