UN chief condemns killing of 7 peacekeepers in DRC

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UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres

UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has condemned the killing of seven peacekeepers serving in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which is also confronting a lethal Ebola outbreak.

Guterres said in a statement by his Spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, that one Tanzanian and six Malawian ‘blue helmets’ were killed during joint operations carried out by the UN stabilisation mission (MONUSCO) and the Government’s forces.

He stated that “initial reports indicate that 10 additional peacekeepers were wounded and another one missing,” expressing concern at the violence uptick in the crisis-torn country prior to elections.

The government forces are known by the French acronym FARDC, against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) armed group in the east of the country.

The UN chief expressed deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the peacekeepers’ families and the Malawian and Tanzanian Governments and their people.

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He also wished a prompt recovery to the wounded and conveyed his strong support to the Malawian and Tanzanian contingents, which continued to protect local populations against attacks of the ADF and other armed groups.

MONUSCO and FARDC have been conducting joint military operations as the ADF is spreading terror in the country’s east, threatening hopes for trouble-free elections on Dec. 23.

Guterres called on armed groups to stop the destabilising activities that continued to add to the population’s suffering and further complicated the Ebola response and urged them to disarm immediately.

The secretary-general encouraged Congolese authorities to continue taking necessary measures to apprehend and bring to justice the perpetrators of attacks against civilians, national security forces and peacekeepers in the DRC.

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