Embassies Attacked and Torched During Protests in Congo's Capital
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Synopsis
In Kinshasa, protests erupted leading to the looting and burning of several embassies due to frustrations over international inaction regarding violence in eastern Congo. UN officials condemned the violence and called for immediate action from armed groups.
Key Takeaways
- Protests erupted in Kinshasa against international inaction.
- Embassies were looted and set on fire.
- Local police urged calm amid rising tensions.
- Conflict in Goma intensified with M23 rebel attacks.
- UN Secretary-General condemned the violence and called for action.
Kinshasa, Jan 28 (NationPress) Numerous embassies in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), were subjected to damage, looting, and even set ablaze during widespread protests against the perceived inaction of the international community regarding the ongoing violence in the eastern regions of the country.
The city of Kinshasa awoke to chaos as civil organizations rallied the local populace to demonstrate against the dire circumstances in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, alongside the international community's inaction.
Demonstrators occupied the city’s main roads, causing traffic disruptions, hindering commercial activities, igniting tires, and chanting slogans in front of the embassies of the U.S. and other Western nations, as well as the headquarters of the UN peacekeeping operations.
Protesters set part of the French embassy ablaze, while the nearby Ugandan embassy was looted. Explosive sounds were reported in the vicinity of the Rwandan embassy and the U.S. consulate, according to reports from Xinhua.
Blaise Kilimbalimba, police commander of Kinshasa, urged the protesters to remain peaceful and return home, warning that those causing unrest would face severe repercussions.
Violence reignited in Goma on Tuesday morning after a relatively quiet night. The March 23 Movement (M23) rebels have been assaulting Goma since late Sunday.
Local sources informed Xinhua that intense clashes have been ongoing since Tuesday morning between the DRC army and the rebels near the airport, a strategically important site previously held by the M23.
Earlier on Sunday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed significant concern regarding the escalating violence in eastern DRC and condemned the ongoing offensive by the M23 armed group, which is advancing towards Goma.
Guterres called upon the M23 to immediately halt all hostile activities and withdraw from occupied territories. According to UN reports, over 400,000 individuals have been displaced since the beginning of 2025 in eastern DRC.
