DRC: Fresh ethnic strife claims 40 lives

The northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo is boiling again with a local civil society group claiming that no less than 40 people have been killed after a fresh outbreak of ethnic strife between Hema herders and Lendu farmers in Ituri province.

According to Jean Bosco Lalu, local civil society leader, the killings took place in the last 48 hours but a different figure of 30 deaths was given by a government official.

“There are certainly other bodies out in the bush. A search is under way,” the government official revealed.

Read also: DRC: Authorities block Internet access as protests continue

Reports say tens of thousands of villagers have fled the violence, including more than 27,000 who have crossed Lake Albert into Uganda.

About two weeks ago, the United Nations warned that over two million children in the Democratic Republic of Congo risk starvation if they do not get aid anytime soon.

According to reports, the comments by the UN is in advance of a meeting between Mark Lowcock, the UN humanitarian chief, and potential donors willing to commit aid money to help salvage the situation.

Inter-ethnic violence and protests against President Kabila is blamed for the current turmoil in the Central African country.

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

 

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now