A/HRC/38/31 41. The Kamuina Nsapu customary chief then led a series of attacks in Dibaya territory, in particular against the towns and villages of Mfuamba, Bukonde, Tshikula, Dibaya and Tshimbulu. These assaults led to the destruction and looting of public buildings and similar structures and to attacks against persons representing or considered to represent the public authorities. Officers of the Congolese National Police were the main victims of these attacks. The deadliest raid was against the town of Tshimbulu. It was ordered by the Kamuina Nsapu chief and left at least five police officers and five militiamen dead. 42. Following the failure of mediation efforts by the authorities, a major military operation was launched to halt the advance of the militia. With the arrival of military reinforcements in Kananga, the operation was aimed at taking Dibaya territory by attacking on several fronts that were opened on the main roads, the final destination being the village of the Kamuina Nsapu chief. Between 10 and 12 August, violent clashes took place between FARDC and the Kamuina Nsapu militia, in particular in Tshimbulu, Dibaya, Tshikula, Sampi, Bitanda and Kabunji. The armed forces fired on the militia members, including many unarmed children, including with the use of rocket launchers. There were also dead and wounded among the members of the armed forces. 43. On 12 August, the defence and security forces led an operation to kill the Kamuina Nsapu customary chief in his native village. Following clashes that left several dead, the customary chief was shot dead by FARDC, and his body was moved to Kananga. 44. Fighting between the Kamuina Nsapu militia and the defence and security forces continued in Dibaya territory. In mid-August, for instance, in front of the Tshikula Catholic Mission, FARDC fired indiscriminately at civilians and Kamuina Nsapu militia members, many of whom were children, causing dozens of casualties. Some of the bodies were stacked onto trucks and transported to the Kananga Officer Training School for burial. B. September–December 2016: Spread of the Kamuina Nsapu movement to the provinces of Kasaï Central, Kasaï Oriental and Kasaï 45. The death of the Kamuina Nsapu customary chief did not bring the violence in Kasaï to an end. On the contrary, beginning in September 2016, the Kamuina Nsapu militia quickly spread further afield. While remaining active in Dibaya territory, the militia expanded into other territories of Kasaï Central and into Kasaï Oriental beginning in September/October 2016. By the end of November, it reached Kamonia territory, in Kasaï Province, along the Kananga-Tshikapa road. 1. Kasaï Central Province 46. On 22 and 23 September 2016, the Kamuina Nsapu militia attacked the airport in Kananga. A female employee of Congo Airways, several soldiers and many militiamen were killed in clashes with FARDC. The Kamuina Nsapu militiamen burned down buildings in the vicinity of the airport. Subsequently, FARDC fired rocket-propelled grenades into the neighbourhoods near the airport, resulting in the death of civilians, whose bodies were transported to the Officer Training School. 47. At the end of September, in operations to track down the militia, the armed forces wounded, raped and killed civilians in Kananga and in nearby villages such as MwambaMbuyi and Tshimpidinga. 48. In Dibaya territory, the violence continued between September and December. On 8 December, for instance, the Kamuina Nsapu militia set fire to the headquarters of the Congolese National Police in the village of Bukonde and hacked a member of the National Intelligence Agency to death in a machete attack. Villagers were also beaten and wounded with machete blows. FARDC arrived the next day and engaged the militia, killing many militia members, including children. The FARDC members who remained in Bukonde after the clashes looted houses and killed at least one civilian. GE.18-10936 9