DR Congo: UN Deplores Deadly Attacks In The East Of The Country
'These attacks targeting civilians, which add to the atrocities committed during the night of 26 to 27 July in Komanda (Ituri territory, Ituri), are intolerable and constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights,' said Binto Keita, Head of the UN Mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO.
Appeal to armed groups
The violent attacks were accompanied by abductions, looting, and the burning of homes, vehicles, and motorcycles, as well as the destruction of property belonging to the population already facing dire humanitarian conditions.
MONUSCO issued a statement calling for foreign armed groups, such as the ADF, to lay down their arms unconditionally and return to their countries of origin.
The Mission also urged 'the Congolese authorities to conduct thorough investigations to identify those responsible for the massacre of civilians and bring them to justice.'
Stronger military presence
In response to this new wave of violence, the peacekeeping mission reinforced its military presence and support to Congolese authorities.
For instance, on 13 and 14 August during incidents in Mayi-Moya in North Kivu, MONUSCO provided physical protection to 206 civilians, including 93 children and 70 women, who had sought refuge at the mission's military base.
'MONUSCO remains fully committed to supporting Congolese authorities and local communities in preventing further violence, protecting civilians, reducing tensions and contributing to the stabilisation of areas affected by armed conflict,' it said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
13 hours ago
- Scoop
DR Congo: UN Deplores Deadly Attacks In The East Of The Country
The attacks, which took place between 9 and 16 August in the localities of Beni and Lubero territories, claimed the lives of at least 52 civilians, including eight women and two children, but peacekeepers on the ground say the death toll may very well rise. 'These attacks targeting civilians, which add to the atrocities committed during the night of 26 to 27 July in Komanda (Ituri territory, Ituri), are intolerable and constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights,' said Binto Keita, Head of the UN Mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO. Appeal to armed groups The violent attacks were accompanied by abductions, looting, and the burning of homes, vehicles, and motorcycles, as well as the destruction of property belonging to the population already facing dire humanitarian conditions. MONUSCO issued a statement calling for foreign armed groups, such as the ADF, to lay down their arms unconditionally and return to their countries of origin. The Mission also urged 'the Congolese authorities to conduct thorough investigations to identify those responsible for the massacre of civilians and bring them to justice.' Stronger military presence In response to this new wave of violence, the peacekeeping mission reinforced its military presence and support to Congolese authorities. For instance, on 13 and 14 August during incidents in Mayi-Moya in North Kivu, MONUSCO provided physical protection to 206 civilians, including 93 children and 70 women, who had sought refuge at the mission's military base. 'MONUSCO remains fully committed to supporting Congolese authorities and local communities in preventing further violence, protecting civilians, reducing tensions and contributing to the stabilisation of areas affected by armed conflict,' it said.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
North Korea's Kim calls for rapid nuclear buildup amid US-South Korea exercises
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang, North Korea in June. Photo: Supplied/Korean Central News Agency By Ju-min Park and Joyce Lee , Reuters North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said his country needed to rapidly expand its nuclear armament and called US-South Korea military exercises an "obvious expression of their will to provoke war", according to state media KCNA. South Korea and its ally the United States kicked off joint military drills this week, including testing an upgraded response to heightened North Korean nuclear threats. Pyongyang regularly criticises such drills as rehearsals for invasion and sometimes responds with weapons tests, but Seoul and Washington say they are purely defensive. The 11-day annual exercises, called Ulchi Freedom Shield, will be on a similar scale to 2024 but adjusted by rescheduling 20 out of 40 field training events to September, South Korea's military said earlier. Those delays come as South Korean President Lee Jae Myung says he wants to ease tensions with North Korea, though analysts are sceptical about Pyongyang's response. The exercises were a "clear expression of... their intention to remain most hostile and confrontational" to North Korea, Kim said during his visit to a navy destroyer on Monday, according to KCNA's English translation of his remarks. He said the security environment required the North to "rapidly expand" its nuclear armament, noting that recent US-South Korea exercises involved a "nuclear element". Efforts by the United States and its allies to tackle North Korea's development of nuclear weapons are expected to be discussed at an upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Washington. "Through this move, North Korea is demonstrating its refusal to accept denuclearisation and the will to irreversibly upgrade nuclear weapons," said Hong Min, North Korea analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification. A report by the Federation of American Scientists last year concluded that while North Korea may have produced enough fissile material to build up to 90 nuclear warheads, it had likely assembled closer to 50. North Korea plans to build a third 5000-tonne Choe Hyon-class destroyer by October next year and is testing cruise and anti-air missiles for those warships. - Reuters Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
Amended - Gaza Is The Deadliest Conflict For Aid Workers, Says ChildFund
The number of aid workers killed in Gaza has reached unprecedented levels-making this one of the deadliest crises in recent history for those dedicated to saving lives. "Today is World Humanitarian Day, and ChildFund New Zealand is honouring its local partners working on the ground in Gaza. These are people bringing lifesaving water and food to children in the strip and trying to maintain some sort of normality by continuing education and making safe play areas for children," says Josie Pagani CEO of ChildFund. The occupied Palestinian territory is the deadliest setting for aid workers worldwide, with Palestinian staff accounting for 98% of aid worker fatalities: 509 out of 517 killings that took place between 2023-2025, according to the Aid Worker Security Database. ChildFund has joined more than 100 organisations in a joint global letter calling on Israel to stop the "weaponisation of aid" into Gaza, as "starvation deepens". Under the new guidelines, registration can be rejected if Israeli authorities deem that a group denies the democratic character of Israel or "promotes delegitimization campaigns" against the country. "ChildFund and its partners are not at all involved in the politics of the region. Its focus is entirely on saving lives." Aid agencies have been unable to deliver enough aid which has left hospitals without basic supplies and children, people with disabilities, and older people dying from hunger and preventable illnesses. "The UN says 600 trucks of supplies a day are needed in Gaza. To date only a few are getting through," says Josie Pagani. "It's not just the horror of starvation and lack of water. Gaza's education system has collapsed and is no longer operating, schools are used as emergency shelters and are often bombed. More than 50,000 children have been killed or injured, and 658,000 school-aged children are left without access to formal learning spaces. Through its partners, ChildFund has supported over 500,000 individuals with emergency access to water, sanitation, food and shelter. "Over the coming months, our partners in Gaza will bring water and food in and set up temporary schools to keep children learning the basics - reading and maths - so they have some hope of a future if they survive this horror." Honour the principle of World Humanitarian Day: The New Zealand government must: 1. Press Israel government to end the weaponisation of aid, including through bureaucratic obstruction, such as the INGO registration procedures. 2. Call for the immediate enforcement of international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of aid workers. 3. Demand safe humanitarian access to deliver life-saving aid in Gaza. ChildFund's Emergency Response Fund ensures that children get life-saving aid in an emergency.
