A/HRC/39/42 armed groups. The period was also marked by the persistence or resurgence of intercommunal violence, which has serious repercussions on the civilian populations. 34. The provinces of North and South Kivu remain those worst affected by the conflict, North Kivu accounting for more than half of the human rights violations and abuses documented in the provinces in conflict. In these two provinces, armed groups were responsible for 56 per cent of the human rights violations, while, of all the parties to the conflict, the FARDC soldiers bear the greatest responsibility, being involved in more than 25 per cent of all cases. 35. In North Kivu, the Mai-Mai Nyatura fighters are the main perpetrators of human rights violations among armed groups, while those of the Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces conducted particularly deadly attacks against the civilian population in Beni territory, resulting in the deaths of 104 persons (including 13 women and 8 children). Nyatura fighters, often allied to the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, have continued to act in support of Hutu populations in their conflict with the Nande communities, the latter being supported by Mai-Mai Mazembe fighters. In particular, they carried out a number of human rights abuses in Bwito chiefdom (Rutshuru territory) and are the major perpetrators of summary executions (a total of 138 victims, including 28 women and 28 children). 36. South Kivu continued to be affected by the activism of various Mai-Mai groups, some of which have joined forces within the coalition led by William Yakutumba. Most of the violations committed by FARDC soldiers were recorded in Fizi territory, including in the context of military operations against these groups. 37. The resurgence of intercommunal conflict has also been observed in Ituri, where repeated clashes between Hema and Lendu communities have been reported since midDecember 2017 in Djugu territory. At least 270 people, including 94 women, were killed, 29 injured and 120 villages were looted and destroyed on both sides during these hostilities, which have also led to the massive displacement of populations. FARDC and the Congolese national police, which is understaffed, have generally been unable to mount an appropriate response to these attacks or to secure the villages. 38. The activities of Kamuina Nsapu and Bana Mura militia and their violent suppression by FARDC continued to blight the three Kasaï provinces, where the number of violations and abuses of human rights documented was higher than in the previous reporting period.8 More than 80 per cent of the violations were committed by State officials, including the extrajudicial execution of no fewer than 387 people, at least 12 of whom were women and 46 children. The conflict continued to fuel intercommunal tensions between the Chokwe-Pende (seen as supporting the Congolese defence and security forces) and the Luba-Lulua (accused by the authorities of being Kamuina Nsapu sympathizers), and also between the Kuba and the Kete — the Kamuina Nsapu and the Luba-Lulua people being perceived as supporting the Kete in a conflict which sets them against the Kuba. Since the end of December 2017, the Joint Human Rights Office has documented serious human rights violations in the territory of Mweka (Kasaï), committed during attacks by members of the Kamuina Nsapu militia and by Kuba and Kete militia members in several areas. At least 48 people were killed, 92 injured, and dozens of homes burned down. 39. In Tanganyika province, the conflict between the Twa and Luba communities has caused serious human rights abuses, including numerous deaths and an alarming number of victims of sexual violence by members of armed militias from both communities. The Twa militias are responsible for the summary execution of 59 people and sexual violence against 22 men, 84 women and three children; the Luba militias for the summary execution of at least four men and sexual violence against 15 women and one man. For example, on 3 August 2017, at Lambo Kilela (Kalemie territory), at least 55 people were killed and 26 others injured by Twa militia fighters during their clashes with Bantu units. On 6 August 8 GE.18-13336 In total 655, compared with 328 during the previous reporting period. Several of these violations were committed during the previous reporting period but could only be documented during the period under review. 7