At least 15 civilians were killed, and 50 have been wounded in the ongoing protests in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to Reuters, protests were sparked by civilians who complained that the U.N. Mission, MONUSCO, has failed to protect them against violent militia for years.

Protests began on Monday, July 25, 2022, in Goma and spread to Butembo, DRC. During the protests in both cities, U.N. peacekeeping troops were accused of using force to retaliate against protesters; a reporter saw U.N. peacekeepers kill two protesters.

Deputy U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq made the following statement:

“He underscores that any attack directed against United Nations peacekeepers may constitute a war crime and calls upon the Congolese authorities to investigate these incidents and swiftly bring those responsible to justice.”

“We have been doing our utmost, not just for years, but really for decades to try to bring stability to Eastern Congo.”

The protests have been headed by the youth, who’ve demanded that the U.N. to withdraw.

Until Next Time…

(Sources)

Photo Credit: The New York Times

Sabiti, D., & Mahamba, F. (2022, July 26). At least 15 killed as anti-U.N. protests flare in east Congo. Reuters. Retrieved July 28, 2022, from https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/two-anti-un-protesters-east-congo-shot-dead-by-un-peacekeepers-reuters-witness-2022-07-26/