This archive report was first published on 30 November 2019.
At least seven people have been killed in clashes during anti-UN protests in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this week. The violence erupted as UN Under-Secretary General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix arrived in the eastern region to address the situation.
On the same day, a crowd in the town of Beni lynched two people, a man and a woman, dressed in civilian clothes. Munitions were found in their bags, leading the crowd to accuse them of being members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a shadowy armed group linked to Ugandan Islamists.
The ADF has been blamed for recent militia attacks in the region, which have resulted in the deaths of 107 people since November 5. The European Union has condemned the 'cowardly attacks' and called for perpetrators to be brought to justice.
MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, has struggled to make progress in the region due to the presence of armed groups, an Ebola epidemic, poverty, and poor governance. The mission has over 16,500 military personnel and observers, 1,300 police, and at least 4,000 civilians, but has faced criticism for its inaction.
Responding to criticism, MONUSCO says its troops are unable to deploy in combat without the approval of the host country and in coordination with national forces. The DRC presidency has announced joint military operations with the UN to reestablish security in the Beni area.
