Four Dead In Militia Attack In DR Congo

Three rangers and a technician were killed in the attack on their convoy by gunmen on Thursday near Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, authorities said.

Virunga Park, which straddles the borders of Uganda and Rwanda, is Africa's oldest reserve, famous for being home to rare animals such as mountain gorillas. 

Militias, of which there are many in eastern DRC, also use the park as a rear base.

According to the Congolese Institute for Conservation of Nature (ICCN), alleged "Mai-Mai" militiamen ambushed "a convoy of technicians assigned to development projects" in Lubero (North Kivu province) on Thursday morning. 

The convoy was escorted by ICCN eco guards, according to a statement from the institute.

The phrase "mai-mai" alludes to community militias. According to the ICCN, three guards and a technical staff member were murdered, while six others were injured.

Colonel Alain Kiwewa Mitela, the military administrator of the Lubero area, also stated that four persons were murdered in the incident, which took place near the settlement of Kivale, outside the Virunga National Park.

"Mai-Mai are attempting to control these areas, but our armed forces are attempting to neutralize them," he explained.

For decades, Eastern DRC has been plagued by armed groups, many of which were left over from the 1990s and 2000s battles.