UN peacekeepers open fire at Uganda-DRC border crossing
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MONUSCO, the United Nations peacekeeping force, admitted that some of its peacekeepers opened fire, adding that arrests had already been made.
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UN's MONUSCO force in North Kivu, DR Congo (Archive)
Officers from the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) opened fire on the Ugandan border on Sunday, killing and injuring several people.
In a statement, the mission said that "MONUSCO Force Intervention Brigade soldiers returning from the leave opened fire to force their way at the border crossing for unknown reasons. The incident resulted in the loss of life and serious injuries".
On her account, Mission chief Bintou Keita said she was "deeply shocked and appalled" by the incident and expressed her condolences to the victims' families.
The mission, in collaboration with the local authorities, launched an investigation into the incident's circumstances.
It is worth noting that officers from MONUSCO who opened fire have already been apprehended.
In the DRC's war-torn east, more than 120 armed groups are active. In 1999, the UN sent its first observer mission to the region.
