Martial law decreed in Ituri following a massacre of 160 civilians
The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) announced on Monday June 7 the deployment of additional military units in Ituri, a province that armed groups continue to sow terror in villages and force the displacement of populations.
This decision comes after the discovery of the bodies of 160 people killed during the attack carried out on the night of Friday June 5 to Saturday June 6. The latest killings bring the number of people killed so far this year in eastern DRC to around 300.
Congolese authorities have also announced the establishment of martial law, a military regime that allows the army to take control of public institutions. The purpose of this measure is to secure the population and to fight against the armed groups that terrorize the region.
In a statement to the press on Monday morning, the governor of the Ituri district called on the populations to collaborate with the soldiers to facilitate their mission. Congolese authorities have also appealed for international assistance to bolster ongoing efforts