The Christmas Massacres: LRA attacks on Civilians in Northern Congo

Combatants of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) brutally massacred at least 620 civilians and abducted more than 160 children between December 24, 2008 and January 13, 2009 in northern Democratic Republic of Congo. Human Rights Watch and Justice Plus, a Congolese human rights organization, researchers collected detailed information, including lists of persons killed or abducted in and around Doruma, Faradje and Duru, in Haute Uele territory. At several sites where the killings took place, researchers found fresh graves, pools of dried blood, cords used to tie up prisoners and blood-stained bats and axes used to kill the victims.