Militants Kill Eight in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Eight people were killed after armed militants from the Allied Democratic Forces attacked civilians in Beni. Following the attack, residents took to city hall, burning down part of the building in protest (Daily Nation)
Militants in DRC Kill Nineteen, Burn Church
At least nineteen people were killed, several people were kidnapped, and a church was burned down during two separate attacks in the Democratic Republic of Congo; officials said militants affiliated with the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) were responsible (Reuters)
Congolese Court Issues Life Sentence to Infamous Warlord
A Congolese court sentenced warlord Frederic Masudi Alimasi to life in prison for crimes against humanity that include murder and sexual violence, according to lawyers in the case (Reuters)
Militia Kills Fifteen in DRC
Suspected militants affiliated with the Islamist group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) killed fifteen civilians in a village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo over the weekend. More than forty civilians have been killed in the past week after the DRC military and UN peacekeepers launched an offensive in late October against the ADF (Reuters)
Fourteen Killed in DRC Mine Collapse
At least fourteen people were killed after an unauthorized gold mine in the country’s east collapsed, according to a government minister (BBC)
UN Chief Talks Security, Ebola Response in DRC
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo, said the UN mission in the country will increase its capacity to combat militant groups and will boost cooperation with government forces (United Nations)
He called on donors who have pledged aid to help fight the Ebola outbreak to honor their commitments (United Nations)
DRC Announces New Government
Congolese Prime Minister Ilunga Ilukamba unveiled today a cabinet of sixty-five ministers, many of whom are viewed as allies of former President Joseph Kabila. The announcement comes eight months after a long-delayed election in which Kabila stepped down (Reuters)
Ebola Spreads in Democratic Republic of Congo
A new case of Ebola was confirmed in Walikale, hundreds of kilometers away from where previous cases occurred (Reuters)
New Ebola Treatments Show Promise
Two Ebola drugs that have been tested in trials in the Democratic Republic of Congo since November appeared so successful that they will be made widely available to patients in the country (Guardian)
DRC Moves to Discourage Cross-Border Travel
People crossing the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo for nonessential reasons will need to obtain clearance from both governments. The new measure is meant to prevent the spread of Ebola (Associated Press)
Between January and June this year, Congolese security officials carried out at least 245 extrajudicial killings, and armed groups carried out at least 418 summary executions, the United Nations reported yesterday (Agence France-Presse)
Separately, the World Food Program will double its food assistance in areas affected by the Ebola outbreak over the next six months (United Nations)
Attacks in Democratic Republic of Congo Kill Twelve People
Twelve people were killed in two attacks by militants from the Allied Democratic Forces in an area of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters)
Democratic Republic of Congo’s Health Minister Resigns
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s health minister resigned yesterday ater President Felix Tshisekedi transferred his authority to oversee the ongoing Ebola outbreak to the head of the national biomedical research institute. In his resignation letter, he cited pressure to use a second vaccine, which is backed by the World Health Organization, to combat the crisis (Reuters)
Democratic Republic of Congo Enforces Ebola Measures
Soldiers and police in the Democratic Republic of Congo will enforce emergency measures as part of heightened efforts to stem the spread of Ebola, including working to ensure that people wash their hands and check their temperature (Associated Press)
Ebola Outbreak Declared a Global Health Emergency
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced yesterday that the nearly year-old Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is now a public health emergency of international concern. It is the fifth such declaration in WHO history, and the health crisis has killed more than 1,600 people since it began last August (Associated Press)
The move came after the outbreak was reported to have reached Goma, a border city of two million people (New York Times)
In Democratic Republic of Congo, Rebel Convicted of War Crimes
The International Criminal Court convicted Bosco Ntaganda, a former rebel leader, of war crimes and crimes against humanity for overseeing the slaughter of civilians (Al Jazeera)
United Nations Increases Food Aid for Refugees in Democratic Republic of Congo
The UN food agency announced it will expand the number of displaced people it assists in DRC’s Ituri province from 116,000 to 300,000. This development follows a resurgence of violence that killed over 160 people in recent weeks (Associated Press)
UN Security Council Extends Sanctions on the DRC
The UN Security Council unanimously passed a French-drafted resolution that extends sanctions on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The sanctions include an arms embargo, which prohibits weapons sales to rebel groups located in the DRC, as well as asset freezes and travel bans on designated officials (Al Jazeera)
Thousands Flee Violence in Democratic Republic of Congo
Renewed violence between the Hema and Lendu groups on northeastern DRC is leading an average of 311 people each day to flee to Uganda, more than double the rate in May of 145 per day. Uganda has received 7,500 Congolese refugees this month (UN High Commissioner for Refugees)
Thousands Trapped by Violence in Democratic Republic of Congo
A surge of violence in recent weeks has killed at least one hundred people, displaced hundreds of thousands, and left more than 80,000 trapped in Ituri province (Al Jazeera)
Hundreds of Thousands Fleeing Eastern Congo
Violence in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo has caused more than three hundred thousand people to flee their homes since early June, according to the UN refugee agency. The World Health Organization said the displacement is a risk factor for the growing Ebola outbreak in the country’s northeast (Reuters)
Ebola Cases Growing Rapidly in DRC
Over the past month, new Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo increased at their fastest pace since the current outbreak began last August. Aid agencies warned that the crisis could grow to be as serious as the 2014–2016 outbreak in West Africa (Guardian)
Study: Mistrust Heightens Risk in DRC Ebola Outbreak
A new study based on interviews with hundreds of Congolese found that misinformation about the Ebola virus is widespread, with one-quarter of respondents believing the country’s current outbreak is not real. The researchers said mistrust in institutions is associated with a lower likelihood of getting the Ebola vaccine and seeking medical care (Lancet)
Over One Thousand Ebola Cases Reported in DRC
According to a report published by the International Rescue Committee, the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed one thousand cases, with daily rates on the rise (Time)
DRC’s President Pardons Hundreds of Prisoners
President Felix Tshisekedi pardoned about seven hundred political prisoners jailed under former President Joseph Kabila, including several prominent opposition figures. Tshisekedi also called on political exiles to return home (NPR)