Peacekeepers attacked in protest over FDLR

Protests against the terror campaigns carried out in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by the FDLR militia saw angry civilians turn against United Nations peacekeepers at the weekend. It was a shock attack in which at least 11 Pakistani soldiers were seriously wounded. The New Times has learnt that seven peacekeepers sustained bullet wounds and several others were injured after being hit with stones when a group of some 1,000 people surrounded their base in the Bunyiakiri area of South Kivu province. They were protesting attacks by the FDLR and the peacekeepers’ apparent inability to defend them.The issue came to the Security Council at the weekend with members condemning the attack “in the strongest terms,” Ambassador Agshin Mehdivev of Azerbaijan, which holds the rotating Council presidency for May, said after closed-door talks. “They encouraged the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ensure that the perpetrators of the attacks are brought to justice swiftly,” he added. Earlier yesterday, UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky said people outside the base were reportedly protesting against attacks by the FDLRwanda – a Rwandan militia in the area.

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Peacekeepers attacked in protest over FDLR