GENEVA, Aug 7, (Xinhua): UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Wednesday condemned the escalation in deadly attacks by the March 23 Movement (M23) and other armed groups against civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) over the past month. According to first-hand accounts received by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), between July 9 and 21, at least 319 civilians were killed by the M23 in four villages in the Rutshuru territory, in North Kivu Province.

Most of the victims, including at least 48 women and 19 children, were local farmers camping in their fields during the planting season. The OHCHR also documented multiple attacks on civilians by other armed groups in the North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri Provinces in July. Turk said in a statement that he was "appalled" by the attacks, and stressed that "all attacks against civilians must stop immediately, and all those responsible must be held to account."

He renewed his call on all parties to the conflicts in eastern DRC to protect civilians from harm, and to uphold all their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law. He also urged all parties to the recently signed declaration of principles to commit to the peace process in good faith and to act decisively to end the cycles of recurring violence. On July 19, the DRC government and the M23 signed a declaration of principles in Doha to end the conflict in the country's eastern region.