UN report says DR Congo may be guilty of ‘crimes of genocide’

The report, which accuses forces of Rwanda and Uganda of participating in the attacks, prompted angry denials from both countries. The report also recommended that the international community seeks to prosecute those responsible.

The Democratic Republic of Congo said it was “appalled” by the alleged crimes and demanded justice.

DR Congo's permanent representative at the UN, Ileka Atoki said in a statement "The victims deserve justice and they deserve that their voices are heard by my government and by the international community,"

"The Congolese Government, and I personally, are appalled at the horrific nature and scope of crimes documented in this report that the people of the Congo have suffered," he added.

The investigation details crimes never previously documented, between 1993 and 2003.

Around 600 incidents, including allegations of civilian massacres and torture amongst others, have been documented.

Rwanda had reacted furiously to allegations that its Tutsi-led army may have committed genocide in DR Congo, known as Zaire until 1997, against Rwandan Hutus.

Uganda, which was also accused of atrocities, described the draft report as "deeply flawed" and had threatened to pull out of peacekeeping missions, such as Somalia.

The UN report covers the wider conflict in DR Congo, which dragged in several neighbouring countries in what has been called "Africa's world war".

More than five million people died in the war and its aftermath - mostly from starvation or disease.