A/HRC/27/42 execution of at least nine civilians, including one child, and the enforced disappearance of a minimum of 32 civilians, including three children. 13. The high number of cases of torture and arbitrary and/or unlawful arrests and detention remains of concern throughout the country, including in the western provinces. From June 2013 to May 2014, UNJHRO recorded nearly 950 victims of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and other violations of the right to physical integrity, including sexual violence. 14. In May 2014,3 UNJHRO and other United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) components, along with the Vice-Minister of Human Rights, visited 62 detention centres in Kinshasa to monitor arrest procedures and conditions of detention, and to assess their compliance with national and international human rights standards. At least 99 individuals, who had been illegally detained, were released as a result of those visits. UNJHRO also increased awareness activities and training on the prohibition of torture, in collaboration with the Government. Unfortunately, very few cases of torture were prosecuted during the reporting period. III. Protection of civilians A. Main concerns 15. The protection of civilians at risk of serious threats to their life and physical integrity remains a priority, particularly in the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Katanga and Orientale, where the Congolese armed forces have been engaged in military operations against armed groups. More than 75 per cent of victims of human rights violations documented by UNJHRO during the reporting period were registered in those provinces. 16. The MONUSCO proactive approach to neutralizing armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, as mandated by Security Council resolutions 2098 (2013) and 2147 (2014),4 through the Intervention Brigade, has yielded some positive results in terms of security. Indeed, as a result of the Brigade operations, some armed groups have been significantly weakened or neutralized. This is particularly the case in Rutshuru territory, North Kivu province, which had been under the de facto control of M23 from November 2012 until it was defeated in October 2013. In addition, the increased military pressure on armed groups has forced thousands of combatants to surrender and disarm. As of April 2014, 3,700 combatants have gathered in several transit camps, pending their participation in the disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, resettlement and reintegration programme. Protection issues remain in relation to this process, as former combatants are known to harass and intimidate the local population living around the transit camps. Due to slow progress in implementing the programme, there is a high risk of demobilized combatants returning to armed activities and/or banditry. 17. Human rights concerns also emerged in the context of FARDC and MONUSCO military operations against armed groups. As FARDC have limited capacity to hold an area once it is cleared, this leads to armed groups filling the security vacuum. Furthermore, civilians are often victims of reprisal attacks by parties to the conflict due to their actual or 2 3 4 “Kulunas” is the term used to describe groups of armed bandits operating in Kinshasa who have allegedly been responsible for various crimes, including killings and armed robbery. The joint visits started in May and ended in June 2014. On 28 March 2014, the Security Council adopted resolution 2147 (2014), which renewed the mandate of the Intervention Brigade, granting it the competence to “neutralize” armed groups. 7