DR Congo extends “state of siege” to violent eastern region Democratic Republic of the Congo News

The martial law was extended for 15 days as rebel attacks last month saw a volcanic eruption continue in the region.

Politicians in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday voted to extend the fighting law during the eastern break of the country by 15 days, a month after civilian authorities replaced military administrations in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

Since the end of the 2003 civil war, there has been endemic violence in the eastern mineral-rich regions of the DRC, but insecurity has intensified over the past two years.

On May 6, the government imposed a state of siege to try to end the bloodshed. Violent attacks have continued since then, but Justice Minister Rose Mutombo said many militant fighters have surrendered and the army has taken control of new areas.

“There is a lot to do, and the recent volcanic eruption in Nyiragon, which occurred in the midst of a state of siege, has forced the government to concentrate its efforts on tackling this natural disaster,” Mutombo said.

The eruption on May 22 sent rivers of lava out of the city of Goma, killing at least 31 people and leaving 20,000 homeless, according to United Nations data.

The siege situation did not prevent it either dies with at least 55 people fighting the insurgents on Monday, which could be the worst night of violence in the area in at least four years.

On Wednesday, a group called the Congo Patriotic and Integrationist Force (FPIC) killed 11 miners in the gold-rich territory of Djugu, in northeastern Ituri province, Mungwalu district mayor Jean-Pierre Pikilisende told AFP.

Pikilisende said the rebel fighters had come to take control of the area extracted by the poor regional artisanal excavations.

Kivu Security Tracker (KST), a respected NGO that monitors violence in eastern DRC, said 12 people had been executed.