These events had resulted overall in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of refugees of Rwandan origin and indigenous populations, in various clashes between the allied rebel forces AFDL/APR, the Armed Forces of Zaire (FAZ), and the ex-FAR/Interahamwe (Rwandan rebellion movement formed in eastern DRC).

In May 1997, the two main cities of Bandundu province, Bandundu city and Kikwit, fell into the hands of AFDL/APR troops without much resistance. In a last-ditch effort to stop the advance of AFDL/APR toward Kinshasa, the Zairian general staff sent FAZ troops, DSP forces, as well as elements of UNITA, ex-FAR, and mercenaries of various nationalities to Kenge, approximately 200 kilometers from Kinshasa. Upon their arrival near Kenge on May 4, these troops disguised themselves as AFDL/APR elements in order to test the loyalty of the population toward President Mobutu's regime.

Eager to see the AFDL arrive, some Kenge residents had already destroyed symbols of state authority, which had fled in fear of the arrival of rebels, and prepared welcome banners for the Alliance soldiers. In this context, the Mapping Team documented the following alleged incidents:

• On May 4, 1997, elements of the FAZ/DSP/UNITA/ex-FAR summarily executed an indeterminate number of civilians considered as traitors at the level of the village of Mangangu, west of the city of Kenge as well as at the entrance to the city.

• On May 5, 1997, elements of the FAZ/DSP/UNITA/ex-FAR and AFDL/APR clashed with heavy weapons in downtown Kenge, killing at least 65 people including children. During the battle, medical personnel were not properly protected and 10 members of the Red Cross who were attempting to aid the wounded were killed.

An indeterminate number of children, sent to the front line by AFDL/APR military personnel, were reportedly killed by Katyusha rocket launchers used by the FAZ. The fighting also resulted in at least 126 wounded among the civilian population.

• During their retreat, elements of the FAZ/DSP/UNITA/ex-FAR executed at least 30 civilians throughout the city. Some victims were bound before being executed. Members of the local Kimbanguist Church were particularly targeted because of their stated support for the AFDL.

Cases of rape of women

The rapes perpetrated by military personnel of the FAZ/DSP/UNITA/ex-FAR also violated an indeterminate number of women, notably in the Kwango Bridge neighborhood.

From May 6 onward and in the following days, elements of the FAZ/DSP/UNITA/ex-FAR fleeing toward Kinshasa killed dozens of civilians, committed rapes and looting, and set fire to several houses located along the road between Kenge and Kinshasa. Mass graves are still being reported, particularly in the villages of Moyen-ville, Tiabakweno, Ndjili, Mbinda, and Mbinda Nseke.

In total, according to the report, the Battle of Kenge resulted in more than 200 deaths and more than one hundred wounded among civilians.

Bivince Mpungu