The UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Monusco) lost, this Sunday, February 5 in Goma, a city located in a conflict zone in the east of the DRC, a peacekeeper during an attack which targeted a helicopter he was in,
“A Monusco helicopter which took off from Beni this Sunday at the beginning of the afternoon bound for Goma came under fire which resulted in the death of one of the crew members and seriously injured another peacekeeper”, explains a press release from the Mission.
“The aircraft nevertheless managed to land in Goma”, specifies Monusco, which “firmly condemned this cowardly attack against an aircraft carrying the emblem of the United Nations” and recalled that “attacks against blue helmets can constitute a crime of war”.
UN Secretary General António Guterres also “strongly condemned the attack”.
While expressing its condolences to the family of the deceased soldier, the UN mission promised to spare “no effort in agreement with the Congolese authorities so that the perpetrators of this heinous act are brought to justice”.
The vagueness still reigns over those responsible for the attack, as well as over the weapon used during the assault. It should be remembered that the eastern DRC is home to many armed groups, including the M23 rebellion which has been clashing for several months with the Congolese armed forces, and which controls some localities in the province of North Kivu in the east of the DRC.
Kinshasa accuses the Rwandan government of supporting the M23 rebels, but Kigali categorically rejects this accusation.
During the East African Community summit, held Saturday (February 4th) in Burundi, regional leaders renewed their call for an immediate ceasefire from the parties involved in the fighting.
By OMA Newsletter N° 1038 of 06/02/2023
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
