DR Congo: UN peacekeepers killed in attack in North Kivu

At least 14 UN peacekeepers have been killed and 53 wounded in an attack in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.


This is the deadliest single attack on a United Nations peacekeeping mission in nearly 25 years with the rebels launching an attack at nightfall which went on for hours.


The UN's Monusco mission 🔈 the peacekeepers, who are stationed around 45 kms from the town of Beni, were attacked by suspected rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in North Kivu province.


Readers might be interested to know that the base is home to the U.N. mission's rapid intervention force, which has a rare mandate to go on the offensive against armed groups in the vast, mineral-rich region.


The ADF is described as Islamist but, as with most of the groups in this area of great poverty and perpetual instability, motivations for attacks can be more varied than purely sectarian.


It has been 🔈 that all UN missions across the world will fly at half-staff in memory of the victims.



UCJ, UNILORIN.