DRC declares state of siege over bloodshed

KINSHASA — Militants killed at least 19 people, including 10 soldiers, in raids on two villages in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo yesterday, hours after President Felix Tshisekedi declared a state of siege in two provinces.

A surge in attacks by armed militias and inter-communal violence in the east have killed more than 300 people since the start of the year as government troops and UN peacekeepers struggle to stabilise the situation.

The latest violence took place early yesterday morning when militants raided two villages in North Kivu’s regional hub of Beni, local authorities said.

Tshisekedi had declared a state of siege in North Kivu and Ituri provinces on Friday.

“The objective is to swiftly end the insecurity which is killing our fellow citizens in that part of the country on a daily basis,” government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said.

He did not say what steps would be taken next under the state of siege.

On Friday armed police in Beni dispersed students who were staging an eight-day sit-in at the town hall to draw attention to the worsening security situation. Several students were wounded and others were arrested, according to a Reuters witness.