Two journalists, including an American, arrested after meeting with alleged members of a guerrilla
July 19 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have announced the deaths of more than 20 suspected members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), linked to the Islamic State jihadist group, in a series of operations carried out in recent days in Ituri province (east).
The spokesman for the Congolese Army in Ituri, Jules Ngongo, has detailed that the operations were carried out between July 11 and 17 in various locations in the areas of Bandavilemba, in the Irumu territory, before adding that they resulted in 22 suspects. dead.
“During these operations, the Armed Forces neutralized 22 ADF terrorists, recovered eight Kalashnikov-type assault rifles and war materials,” said Ngongo, who stressed that the Congolese forces “continue operations in the area.”
Thus, the spokesman for the Army in Ituri has emphasized that the Armed Forces continue to search for members of the ADF in Banyali-Tchabi, where days ago they perpetrated an attack against civilians, according to the Congolese news portal 7sur7.
The ADF, a Ugandan group created in the 1990s, especially active in eastern DRC and accused of the killing of hundreds of civilians in this area of the country, could be trying to operate again in Uganda, from where it withdrew in 2003. after a series of military operations that drastically reduced its ability to carry out attacks in the country.
The ADF suffered a split in 2019 after Musa Baluku — sanctioned by the United Nations and the United States — swore allegiance to the jihadist group Islamic State in Central Africa (ISCA), under whose banner he has been acting ever since. The DRC and Uganda signed a defense agreement in December to carry out joint operations in eastern DRC.
TWO JOURNALISTS ARRESTED
On the other hand, two journalists, including one of American nationality, were arrested last week in Lubumbashi after maintaining contacts with members of a militia, according to Radio France Internationale.
American journalist Nicolas Niarchos, who works for ‘The Nation’ and ‘The New Yorker’, was arrested along with Congolese journalist Joseph Kazadi Kamuanga, who worked as a ‘fixer’. Both have been transferred to the capital, Kinshasa, where they remain in custody.
The accreditation granted by the Congolese Ministry of Communication to Niarchos includes an authorization to make reports on nature conservation, economy and culture, although he was arrested while interviewing alleged members of the Bakata Katanga militia.
Civil society sources quoted by Radio France Internationale have detailed that these interviews were part of a series of reports on the management of mines in this area of the country. Security sources have said that they are being questioned about the nature of their journalistic activities, without Washington having commented so far.
Add Comment