The United Nations says more than 150 women and children were raped in eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo in late July.

The UN said the residents of 13 villages in North Kivu Province were subjected to sexual violence by Rwandan Hutu rebels.

The Hutu rebels are among several armed groups that frequently attack the eastern parts of DR Congo even after the end of the five-year war in 2003.

The attackers systematically raped women and baby boys for four days despite the presence of 20,000 UN peace keepers in the country.

UN Special Representative for DRC Roger Meece said the peace keeping forces only heard about the rapes more than a week after they occurred.

"I was not in the base. I cannot speak for the military commanders in place but is very clear that our first priority is protection of the civilians.”

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has promised an investigation into the attacks.

“I have called the authorities of DRC to investigate this incident and bring the perpetrators to justice,” he said.

DR Congo launched a new wave of military operations against the rebels in March. The government has committed 18 battalions to a series of targets in North and South Kivu.

source:http://www.presstv.ir/detail/140168.html