Source: United Nations (UN) |

Said Djinnit: I strongly condemn the recent attack on the civilian population of Beni

The attack, which is believed to have been carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) took place in Rwangoma, near the central town of Beni, on 13-14 August 2016

I condemn in the strongest terms this attack on civilians

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 15, 2016/APO/ --

United Nations Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, Said Djinnit, condemns the massacre of at least 36 people, including women, in the area of Beni, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The attack, which is believed to have been carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) took place in Rwangoma, near the central town of Beni, on 13-14 August 2016. The ADF, a rebel group of Ugandan origin operates mainly in eastern DRC.

“I condemn in the strongest terms this attack on civilians. I express heartfelt condolences to the Government and people of the DRC, and reiterate full support to the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) in their efforts to bring security to the affected areas in the country. This attack will not deter from the collective determination to neutralize all negative forces that continue to cause sorrow and atrocities in eastern DRC.”

Special Envoy Djinnit further notes that, “This cowardly attack reminds us of the urgency to implement the commitments of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework, and the decisions taken in that regard by the Heads of State of the region, including at the 6th Ordinary Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), held in Luanda, Angola, on 14 June 2016, under the chairmanship of President Eduardo dos Santos”. The UN Special Envoy also reiterates his readiness to continue to support ongoing efforts to end the plague of negative forces in the region, together with other representatives of the “guarantors” of the PSC Framework agreement.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations (UN).