There were no casualties during an attack by Democratic Republic of Congo protestors on a MONUSCO camp for Malawian troops two days ago which left the facility completely trashed, an official said on Wednesday.
Malawi Defence Force spokesperson Paul Chiphwanya said there were no casualties among the 800-strong contingent in spite of the vicious attacks by the youthful protestors in Beni town in North Kivu region of the DRC.
“We have a battalion in the DRC and all of our troops are safe,” Chiphwanya told APA.
The protestors, angry at what they said was the UN’s and DRC troops’ inadequate protection of their lives, homes and property, went on a rampage in the streets of the small town of Beni on Monday, where the Malawi contingent has camped under the auspices of the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Congo (MONUSCO).
The protesters had stormed the MONUSCO facility, angered by the failure by the UN troops to stop an armed group that killed eight civilians on Sunday.
Television images showed the camp’s brick wall fence and metal gate completely destroyed by the protestors, leaving the troops to stand guard in the open along the fallen walls – with their various equipment like generators, vehicles and buildings inside the camp all burnt.
Apart from Malawi, MONUSCO has southern African troops from Tanzania and South Africa working in the DRC to restore peace in the restless eastern region of that country.
There are 20,000 African and Asian troops under MONUSCO, according to the UN.
NM/jn/APA