Virunga National Park in Lubero Territory was the target of an armed attack on Thursday, which claimed the lives of four people, including three rangers and a technician. According to the ICCN press release, the convoy of technicians assigned to development projects for local populations was attacked by a group of armed men assimilated to the Mai Mai.
Apart from the casualties, six people were also injured, including three convoy crew members and three local community members living in the village of the incident site. ICCN strongly condemned this attack against civilian personnel, accompanying guards and civilian populations.
Faced with a series of targeted attacks against ICCN eco-guards, the organization calls on national and local authorities to open an investigation so that the perpetrators of this act are brought to justice. It also warns of the security risk faced by projects implemented for the benefit of communities in this part of the Province due to the activism of armed groups.
Virunga National Park is one of the most important national parks in Africa. Although popular with tourists for its mountain gorillas, it has also become a battleground between local armed groups and authorities for several years. ICCN eco-guards have already suffered several attacks, the latest dating back to last February in Kabasha