At least three people were killed Tuesday during clashes between demonstrators and ‘blue helmets’ in the city of Goma, capital of North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) has indicated that its convoy, which was returning from a supply mission, was attacked by demonstrators who had blocked the road in protest against the presence of MONUSCO itself in the country.
«In the process, the attackers set fire to four trucks in the convoy before stealing its cargo. Regrettably, three people have lost their lives during the scuffles, as peacekeepers and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) attempted to protect the convoy,» reads a statement.
The mission, which said that a joint investigation with the Congolese authorities will determine the circumstances, reiterated «its appeal to the population to facilitate the free movement of MONUSCO personnel, who provide operational support to the FARDC, ensure the protection of civilians and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid».
For her part, MONUSCO chief Bintoy Keita has condemned the violence during the demonstrations, which included looting and vandalism, and urged communities to refrain from using hate speech and inflammatory statements, according to a UN statement.
In addition, police evacuated barricades set up by protesters along the main arteries of the city of Goma during the afternoon, Radio Okapi reported.
MONUSCO has been stationed in northeastern Congo for more than 20 years in an attempt to shore up peace in the country despite the presence of some 130 different armed groups vying for control of the DRC’s vast natural wealth, which includes copper, cobalt, gold and diamonds.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
