15:11     27 July 2022    

At least 15 people, including three UN peacekeepers, have been killed and dozens of others injured in clashes during anti-UN protests in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Tuesday, according to DW.

At least 15 people, including three UN peacekeepers, have been killed and dozens of others injured in clashes during anti-UN protests in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Tuesday, according to DW. The UN confirmed that "violent attackers snatched weapons from Congolese police" and fired on the UN personnel killing one peacekeeper and two international policemen, and injuring another serving with the UN peacekeeping force at the UN base in Butembo in North Kivu province in the east. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the violence saying "any attack directed against United Nations peacekeepers may constitute a war crime," a UN spokesperson said. Guterres called upon the Congolese authorities to bring those responsible to justice, and added that the UN would work with Congolese authorities to investigate the deaths of demonstrators. India's foreign minister confirmed that two of its UN peacekeepers were killed. The third one was from Morocco, Butembo police chief Paul Ngoma said. At least five people other were killed during similar protests, which also left dozens injured in the southeastern city of Goma, a government spokesman confirmed earlier on Tuesday. Demonstrators took to the street on Monday, angry with the UN soldiers for failing to deal with the region's many armed groups. In a tweet, government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said security forces had responded by firing "warning shots" at protesters.