Two drunken Congolese soldiers have gunned down a total of 15 people in separate attacks in volatile eastern DR Congo, authorities said Monday.

One "inebriated" soldier killed eight passengers and wounded seven on Monday aboard a boat on Lake Tanganyika, South-Kivu province's Fizi territory administrator Aime Kawaya Mutipula told AFP.

"Among the victims, all of them civilians, are men, women and children," he said.

Local army spokesman Marc Elongo said the soldier, Lukusa Kabamba, was then "lynched" by angry residents before he could be arrested and died from his injuries.

Local civil society group coordinator Andre Byadunia had earlier said the soldier had been "locked up" and urged "the authorities to put him on trial and sentence him".

On Sunday, another soldier shot dead the bodyguard of a colonel before killing the colonel and five civilians at Bambu, in Djugu territory, the local authorities announced in Ituri province.

The village "woke up Sunday morning to shooting and thought it was an attack", said local official Claude Mateso.

But, he explained, it was a soldier who had been disarmed by his colleagues the previous evening because he was drunk.

The killer, who had recovered his gun, was eventually shot dead by another soldier who gave chase.

"It's an isolated case and we strongly condemn it," said Lieutenant Jules Ngongo, army spokesman for Ituri.

"We are waiting to learn the real reasons behind this irresponsible and criminal act," he added.

Meanwhile in neighbouring North-Kivu, six people were wounded by a grenade thrown into a crowd by soldiers trying to arrest a young man in Kisovu village, in Masisi territory, said local administrative secretary Ngendahimana Eugene Gishoma.

All three provinces in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have been wracked by violence linked to numerous armed groups for the last 25 years.

The government has put Ituri and North-Kivu under a "state of siege" since last May, but security forces have failed to restore peace.

(stock image only)

Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Niger MPs to tackle foreign troop presence
Niamey (AFP) April 15, 2022
Niger's parliament will for the first time tackle the question of the presence of foreign forces fighting jihadists in the impoverished Sahel nation, the government said on Friday. The foreign troops, who work with the national military, are often perceived as "occupying forces" by local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the government noted. "It is important that the Nigerien people, through the parliament, speak clearly on the issue," said Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massoudou. "The deb ... read more