At least 10 individuals lost their lives on Wednesday in the eastern city of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), following clashes that erupted between soldiers and a religious group attempting to hold an anti-UN protest.
The event was organized by the “Natural Judaic and Messianic Faith towards the Nations” group.
Moleka Maregane, a member of the group responsible for arranging the protest, claimed that Congolese soldiers killed six people at a radio station and a place of worship in the early hours of the morning, before the planned demonstration could commence.
Goma’s mayor, Colonel Faustin Napenda Kapend, confirmed that a police officer was lynched by members of the religious group. Security forces also reportedly set fire to the group’s temple.
Hospital officials disclosed that they had admitted 33 wounded individuals, and among them, three succumbed to their injuries.
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Meanwhile, the army spokesperson in North Kivu province, Lieutenant-Colonel Guillaume Ndjike, stated that approximately 20 individuals had been arrested in connection with the incident. He asserted that these individuals were allegedly manipulated and influenced by external forces.
The United Nations peacekeeping force in DR Congo, known as MONUSCO, has come under significant scrutiny in the nation.
Despite being one of the largest and costliest peacekeeping missions globally, with an annual budget of around $1 billion and a presence in the country since 1999, it has faced criticism for perceived failures in preventing militia violence that has plagued the eastern region for over three decades.
Presently, the force comprises approximately 16,000 uniformed personnel, primarily stationed in the mineral-rich eastern part of Congo.
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