10 militiamen, 3 soldiers killed in clashes in eastern DR Congo

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) - At least 10 militiamen and three soldiers were killed in clashes between government forces and rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s eastern Ituri province on Wedneday, the military said on Thursday.

The clashes followed an attack in which suspected operatives of the Cooperative for the Development of Congo (CODECO) armed group Tuesday set on fire the Kilo General Referral Hospital located in the Itendeyi area, Djugu territory.

“The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) launched an offensive, killing 10 militiamen and wounding several in the Liseyi and Itendeyi areas, but the army lost three soldiers,” Lt Jules Ngongo, spokesman for the operational sector in Ituri, told reporters.

Noting that the army dislodged the rebels and took control of their bases in the area, Ngongo said army helicopters supported the ground troops in the fighting.

Kilo General Referral Hospital received a large number of patients from various villages in the Djugu territory, but it was totally burned down, destroying all medical equipment, local authorities had said on Wednesday.

Many residents fled the area following the attack, moving towards the mining town of Mungbwalu.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OHCA) on Wednesday painted a gloomy picture of the humanitarian situation in Ituri following the growing violence despite the current state of siege.

More than 1.7 million people are internally displaced, with 14% of them living in resettlement sites and 86% in host families in the territories of Djugu, Irumu, Mahagi, Mambasa and Aru, according to the report.

The National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Congo adopted a bill Tuesday that extended the state of siege in Ituri and North Kivu restive provinces for 15 days.

President Felix Tshisekedi proclaimed a “state of siege” in May, replacing senior civilian officials in the state with army officers in a bid to curb growing insecurity.