- Title: At least 12 killed in heavy fighting in northeastern Congo
- Date: 22nd June 2017
- Summary: BENI, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (JUNE 22, 2017) (REUTERS) MOTORBIKES DRIVING ON STREET HOUSE DAMAGED BY MORTAR ROUND DAMAGE TO ROOF DEBRIS HELD IN HAND INSIDE DAMAGED HOUSE EXTERIOR OF MAYOR'S OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (French) MAYOR OF BENI, NYONI BWANA KAWA, SAYING: "It is very sad that since morning some militia fighters attacked our town, they made this city their target which is sad but the national Congolese army together with the police battled hard to make sure that the situation is brought under control."
- Embargoed: 6th July 2017 18:50
- Keywords: Democratic Republic of Congo militia fighters heavy fighting police Congolese army
- Location: BENI, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
- City: BENI, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
- Country: Congo, Democratic Republic of
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Insurgencies
- Reuters ID: LVA0016MCYJPJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
At least 12 people were killed in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo in heavy fighting between the army and militia on Thursday (June 22), and several students sitting exams were wounded in an explosion at a school, local activists said.
The fighting in and around the city of Beni between Congo's army and what is believed to be a new coalition of armed groups, the National Movement of Revolutionaries (MNR), killed at least eight militiamen and four soldiers, said activist Teddy Kataliko.
The clashes, some of which occurred near the mayor's office, broke out early Thursday morning but the army had driven back the militias by mid-afternoon.
Eastern Congo contains dozens of armed groups that prey on locals and exploit mineral reserves. Hundreds of civilians have died near Beni since October 2014 in a series of overnight massacres, mostly carried out with hatchets and machetes. It is still not clear who is responsible for most of the attacks. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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