Bodies of U.N. experts found in Congo

BENI, Congo—The bodies of an American and a Swedish investigator with the United Nations and their Congolese interpreter have been found in Congo’s Central Kasai province, authorities said Tuesday, more than two weeks after they disappeared while looking into recent violence there.

“After tests … it is possible to identify the bodies as the two U.N. experts and their interpreter as being found near the Moyo river,” said Congo government spokesman Lambert Mende. Investigations will continue to find other missing Congolese colleagues, he said.

Michael Sharp of the United States and Zaida Catalan of Sweden, along with interpreter Betu Tshintela, driver Isaac Kabuayi and two motorbike drivers, went missing March 12 while looking into largescale violence and alleged human rights violations by the Congolese army and local militia groups.

Congo’s police inspector general Charles Bisengimana said the bodies were found Monday between the cities of Tshimbulu and Kananga, the provincial capital.

The confirmation came a day after Sharp’s father, John Sharp of Hesston, Kansas, wrote on his Facebook page that the bodies of two Caucasians had been found in shallow graves in the search area for the U.N. investigators.

There was no immediate comment Tuesday night from the United Nations.