Nyiragongo: five people killed by MONUSCO blue helmets (local sources)

At least five people were killed, seven others injured by peacekeepers from Monusco (United Nations Organization Mission in the DRC) on Tuesday evening. Three vehicles of the UN mission were burned by residents close to the Kanyaruchinya camp, in the Nyiragongo territory in the province of North Kivu, eastern DRC. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The incident took place around 8:15 p.m. in the territory of Nyiragongo north of the city of Goma (capital of North Kivu) when a Monusco convoy was attacked by angry residents. Three vehicles of the UN mission were set on fire on the spot.

“The convoy left the city of Kiwanja heading to the city of Goma”, according to Adolphe Shukuru, president of the civil society in the Munigi groupment where this incident took place.

“The population thought these Monusco vehicles were transporting M23 rebels because they are the ones controlling the territory of Rutshuru where the city of Kiwanja is located”, say witnesses.

Adolphe Shukuru specifies that the wounded were evacuated to local health structures for medical care. The death toll remains provisional, according to the activist.

Residents of the territory of Nyiragongo have often demonstrated against Monusco since the evaluation of the mandate of the UN mission in the DRC by citizen movements and civil society.

They consider the UN mission “ineffective”.

Kanyaruchinya is located 8 kilometers north of the city of Goma in the Munigi groupment. Part of the Nyiragongo territory including the Kibumba groupement remains under the control of the M23 rebels.

Heavy fighting between the Congolese army and M23 rebels has recently been reported in the neighboring territories of Rutshuru and Masisi as the rebels attempt to take control of the city of Sake, west of Goma.

On February 5, 2023, a Monusco blue helmet belonging to the South African contingent was killed in an attack on a Monusco aircraft, another was injured. The perpetrators of the attack have not yet been identified, but the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations in the DRC, Bintou Keita, has indicated that “the perpetrators must be brought to justice”.

On July 31, 2022, three other civilians were killed by peacekeepers in Kasindi, on the border between Uganda and the DRC during an altercation between unarmed civilians and elements of the UN mission belonging to the Tanzanian contingent.