BENI, Dec 27 (NNN-IRIN) – At least eight people died, in a suicide bomb explosion late Saturday, in the middle of Christmas celebration, in north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), said hospital sources, yesterday.
In a provisional assessment provided on Saturday night, by General Ekenge Sylvain, spokesman for the governor of the North Kivu province, at least six people, including the suicide bomber, were killed and 13 others wounded in this “terrorist attack” in the city of Beni.
According to the update delivered yesterday, by the medical director of the General Hospital of Beni, two other people died from serious injuries caused by the explosion, adding that, 14 other people were wounded, some in serious condition.
The explosion took place at around 8.00 pm local time, at the entrance of a busy bar. The suicide bomber, stopped by the guards from entering the bar, crowded with customers, activated the bomb at the entrance of another bar next door, according to Sylvain Ekenge.
All night from Saturday to yesterday, the security services have been patrolling the city and the surroundings of the site of the explosion, in search of clues. According to local security sources, several pieces of the explosive device were collected at the scene of the incident, by de-miners, supported by the UN’s mission in DR Congo (MONUSCO).
In a statement made late Saturday on the national TV channel (RTNC), Congolese government spokesman, Patrick Muyaya, condemned the suicide bombing that caused loss of life.
President Felix Tshisekedi said, he had learned with dismay the news of the terrorist attack that hit the city of Beni on Christmas Day, and he strongly condemned this heinous act.
While paying tribute to the victims and offering his condolences to the bereaved families, the president promised that, these crimes would not go unpunished and that their perpetrators would be hunted down and annihilated.
The territory of Beni, which has been under siege since early May, as part of the exceptional measures taken on two provinces, including Ituri, is constantly under attack by rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which are active in this part of the country for decades.
In June 2021, two bomb explosions, including one carried out by a suicide bomber, struck Beni, causing at least one death and several injuries. According to the DR Congo authorities, the suicide bomber was an active member of the ADF, in charge of recruitment.
Since Nov 30, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, in collaboration with the Congolese army, officially launched air and artillery operations against several ADF rebel positions in north-eastern DR Congo.– NNN-IRIN
