DRC: 02 humanitarian workers killed in an attack in North Kivu

Two aid workers from foreign aid group Tearfund have been killed in an attack on their convoy in North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Aid workers were killed last Sunday after their convoy arrived in the town of Butembo. Tearfund confirmed the deaths in a statement released Monday evening, adding that the identity of the attackers remains unknown. The region is regularly rocked by fighting between Congolese security forces and various armed rebel groups.

The DRC has more than 120 armed groups active in the east of the country, carrying out often deadly attacks to control natural resources such as gold. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported more than 170 incidents targeting aid workers this year, resulting in at least four deaths and several kidnappings.

Bruno Lemarquis, humanitarian coordinator for Congo, condemned these attacks, stressing the urgency of protecting humanitarian workers: “While humanitarian needs are immense, it is unacceptable that those working to help affected populations are being attacked and killed.”

Violence has escalated in North Kivu, where Congolese security forces are struggling to contain rebel groups. Last week, mortar fire targeted a South African army base, part of a regional peacekeeping mission, killing two people. Meanwhile, rebels have taken control of several strategic villages.

The active role of the M23 rebel group

The M23 rebel group, known for its alleged links to neighbouring Rwanda, remains particularly active in the region. According to Richard Moncrieff, Crisis Group’s Great Lakes director, the M23 now controls almost half of North Kivu province, seizing strategic towns and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.