Congolese army says rebels massacred 50 civilians in eastern town

"We are deeply saddened by the massacre of civilians in Kishishe, which could constitute a war crime," said Stephanie Miley, charge d'affaires for the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa, on Twitter.

Democratic Republic of Congo's armed forces said in a statement that M23 rebels and their allies killed 50 civilians in a massacre in the eastern town of Kishishe on Tuesday.

Congo's army and the M23 have been locked in fighting for months in the country's restive east. A spokesman for the M23, a Tutsi-led militia, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Human Rights Watch and a U.S. diplomat also said on Thursday that they had information about a massacre in Kishishe, which is in North Kivu province, but did not give figures. "We are deeply saddened by the massacre of civilians in Kishishe, which could constitute a war crime," said Stephanie Miley, charge d'affaires for the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa, on Twitter.