The past month has been marked by a tragic attack in Murangara, North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The head of MONUSCO, Bintou Keita, strongly condemned these attacks which caused the death of 11 people and injured 4 others. In a statement posted on MONUSCO’s Twitter account, she called on armed groups to immediately cease hostilities and lay down their arms.
This attack was perpetrated by M23 rebels against positions of local armed groups, in particular the Nyatura CMC. Located between two M23 positions, the village of Marangara is a strategic passage for rebels heading towards Bunagana and Bwiza, their key strongholds. This violence caused numerous civilian victims, buried in a local cemetery.
The situation in the region is worrying, as no deployment of regional forces is present in the village of Marangara. With this attack, it is essential that measures are taken to guarantee the safety of local populations and prevent further violence.
It is important to underline that the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains fragile, with numerous armed groups operating in the region. International efforts must be made to support the Congolese authorities in the fight against these groups and to ensure peace and security for all inhabitants of the region.
It is crucial that those responsible for this attack are brought to justice and that the armed groups are disarmed and demobilized