GOMA, Congo – In a tragic incident, two staff members of the foreign aid group Tearfund lost their lives in eastern Congo during an attack on their convoy. This devastating event is just one in a series of assaults targeting aid organizations and residents in the region.
The attack took place on Sunday in Butembo city in North Kivu province, where clashes between armed rebels and Congolese security forces have been ongoing. The exact group responsible for the attack remains unclear, as more than 120 armed groups in eastern Congo are engaged in violent activities to seize control of the region’s valuable resources, such as gold.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Congo, over 170 security incidents have targeted humanitarian workers, resulting in the deaths of at least four individuals and the abduction of more than a dozen people. In response, calls have been made for increased protection for aid workers working in the region.
The province of North Kivu has seen a deterioration in security in recent months as security forces continue their fight against rebels. Just last week, mortar shelling targeted a base operated by South Africa’s military, resulting in the deaths of two individuals. The M23 rebel group, which allegedly has ties to neighboring Rwanda, has been particularly active in the region, gaining control of strategic towns and claiming about half of North Kivu province, as reported by the Crisis Group’s Great Lakes region director, Richard Moncrieff.