On Monday, Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said that the death toll for the attack on Kishishe town rose to 270 and broke the fragile cease-fire decreed between the army and the M23 on November 25.

Muyaya confirmed that the Ministry of Justice referred the matter to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court for clarification.

In Goma, members of social movements and neighbors of the city staged a vigil to recall the victims of the conflict. They demanded the attention of the international community to end the conflict that has killed dozens of people and displaced millions.

The M23 began operations in 2012 when it captured the strategic city of Goma, from which they were evicted and remained silent until last year when they resumed operations after accusing Congolese authorities of not fulfilling their commitment to incorporate members of the M23, into the National Army.

The acts of violence unleashed in eastern DRC in recent years have caused the displacement of some five million civilians, while dozens died, according to humanitarian sources.

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