MONUSCO denounces the death of at least seven civilians in an attack in the Congolese region of Ituri

Jan. 20 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has reported this Thursday that during the night there has been an armed attack by the Cooperative for the Development of Congo (CODECO) militia against a refugee camp in Savo, in Ituri province, which has left at least seven dead.

For their part, local authorities have detailed that among the deceased there are five children, while there would be at least four injured receiving treatment in health centers in the area.

United Nations deputy spokesman Farhan Haq explained that peacekeeping forces have been deployed “immediately to secure the camp and prevent further acts of violence.”

However, CODECO has denied its participation in the armed attack, which is why the representatives of the militia have asked the Congolese government to carry out an investigation “urgently” to find the perpetrators of the tragedy, as reported. Radio Okapi station.

This attack occurred after the bodies of more than fifty civilians were discovered in various mass graves in Ituri, following the attacks this weekend that left more than 60 dead during the second week of January.

The UN spokesman remarked that these incidents are “the latest in a series of violent attacks against civilians in recent weeks that have seriously affected the civilian population and humanitarian operations.”

Meanwhile, he has assured that MONUSCO is “closely following events on the ground and advocating with the relevant authorities to guarantee the protection of civilians, especially those who are in places of displacement.”