At least ten people were killed on Sunday in an attack carried out by suspected members of the Cooperative for the Development of Congo (CODECO) militia against the town of Mungwalu, located in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The burgomaster of the commune of Mungwalu, Jean-Pierre Bikilisende, has indicated in declarations to the Congolese news portal 7sur7 that the militiamen stormed simultaneously in two neighborhoods during the night of Sunday.
He specified that nine civilians were shot at the Kotakoli traffic circle, while another person died after being shot several times inside a store near his residence, an event which resulted in another wounded.
«The security services intervened a few minutes later,» said Bikilisende, who added that officers seized a vehicle used by the militiamen, who managed to flee without casualties. «We believe that the vehicle will facilitate the investigation to arrest those responsible for this drama,» he concluded.
CODECO is predominantly composed of members of the Lendu community. The increase in their attacks in recent months has brought to mind the conflict between the Hema and the Lendu between 1999 and 2007 over grazing rights and political representation, which resulted in nearly 50,000 deaths in an area rocked by the operations of several armed groups.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
