Another 13 rangers from Virunga National Park, Congo, lost their lives. They were brutally killed in an attack
They were brutally killed in an ambush. Another 13 rangers from Virunga National Park, Congo, lost their lives. According to park officials, it was one of the most serious attacks in recent history.
To die were 13 young people between 23 and 40 years, killed during an attack on a convoy of civilians, escorted by rangers. According to the first investigations, last Friday around 11 am, the rangers were returning to the park when they identified a civilian vehicle that had been attacked but remained involved in the massacre, near the nearby village of Rumangabo.
“We can confirm that the perpetrator of this attack is the armed group“ FDLR-FOCA ”, according to the official statement of the Park.
Apart from the rangers, a driver and four civilians were also killed by gunshots. Two other civilians and three rangers are seriously injured, one in critical condition.
Updated statement from Virunga National Park following the armed attack around Rumangabo village today:…
Posted by Virunga National Park on Friday, April 24, 2020
"This is a devastating day for Virunga National Park and surrounding communities," park officials said. "It is with great sadness that the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) confirms the identity of the Virang Park Rangers and employees who tragically lost their lives in the attack on Route Nationale 2 near the headquarters of the Rumangabo Virunga National Park. All those who have lost their lives leave behind bereaved families, colleagues, parents and friends ”.
Parc National des Virunga, located in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the oldest in Africa, an area of 7.800 square kilometers. Established in 1925 as Africa's first national park, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.
ANNOUNCEMENT: We can confirm that a major attack by armed groups on Rumangabo village has today resulted in the…
Posted by Virunga National Park on Friday, April 24, 2020
In recent years, poaching and the civil war in Congo have seriously damaged its fauna, protected by rangers even at the cost of their lives. In fact, they protect this green lung and its inhabitants, including mountain gorillas. Over 170 rangers were killed on duty:
"Without the commitment of these brave men and women, Virunga would not exist" reads the official website.
According to officials, the terrible attack will not stop Virunga National Park's commitment to the economy and development programs.
Sources of reference: Virunga
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