GOMA - Over 40 rebels of ex-Far/Interahamwe  were killed Thursday in an airstrike by the joint  FARDC and RDF  offensive in Walikale and Masisi, since the start of the joint operations against the group last month.

This was announced Thursday in a communiqué by the Joint Operations Centre headquartered in Goma in the Eastern DRC.

"An air raid was launched at Kashebere where the FDLR commanders were meeting after they attempted to attack a MONUC plane that was on a sensitisation mission. Over 40 were killed and scores injured in the attack,”said the communiqué.

"A few Kilometres away in Nyabiondo, on Majembe hill, the joint force destroyed the heavily fortified headquarters of the 1st Division resulting in many casualties. Survivors threw the bodies of their companions into the river.”

More successes were registered in Langila, and Bwavinywa in Lubero where eight FDLRs surrendered to the joint force with their families.

The joint operation between Rwanda and DRC armies was ordered last month against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) insurgency which has terrorised the Congolese for the last 15 years.

Fleeing rebels massacres over 100 civilians

In a related incident, FDLR rebels are reported to have massacred over 100 villagers in eastern DRC in retaliation for the joint DRC-Rwanda operation.

Media reports sya that tyhe killings took place in many places, among them Ufamandu and Walowaluanda (North Kivu province) Ziralo (South Kivu province) and at a camp for displaced people near Goma, the capital of North Kivu.

In one of the villages in Ufamandu, Remeka, the FDLR called a meeting and accused local leaders, the population and their former allies the Mai Mai of betraying them and that they would pay the price.

When the villagers tried to escape, they were either hacked or mowed down by gunfire and rocket propelled grenades.

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