A convoy of UN peacekeepers blocked from crossing a border crossing with Uganda in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo opened fire on Sunday and forced their way through, injuring eight people, according to a local official.
In a video shared on social networks, we see men, including at least one in police uniform and another in military, advancing towards the immobilized convoy on the other side of the closed barrier in Kasindi, in the territory of Beni, on the border with Uganda.
After a verbal exchange, we see the presumed Blue Helmets firing shots, before opening the barrier and crossing the post.
Read alsoDR Congo: 8 blue helmets killed
According to Barthélemy Kambale Siva, official delegate of the governor of North Kivu in Kasindi, interviewed by AFP, "
eight people, including two policemen who were at the roadblock, were seriously injured
" in this incident.
Barthélemy Kambale Siva did not give the reason why the UN convoy was prevented from crossing the barrier.
Contacted by AFP, the UN mission in the DRC, Monusco, did not respond immediately.
Demonstrations against blue helmets
Last week, deadly demonstrations calling for the departure of the United Nations took place in several towns in eastern DRC.
A total of 19 people, including three peacekeepers, were killed in these violent demonstrations.
The demonstrators accused the Blue Helmets of inefficiency in the fight against the hundred armed groups responsible for the chaos in which the eastern provinces of the country are plunged.
On a visit to the DRC, Jean Pierre Lacroix, head of the UN peace department, said on Saturday that he had come to "
talk with the Congolese authorities, examine the means by which we can both prevent these tragic incidents from happening again and above all better working together to achieve our goals
”.
“
We hope that the conditions will be met, in particular the return of state authority, so that Monusco can complete its mission as quickly as possible and leave room for other forms of international support
,” added he said.
Read alsoWashington calls on the DRC to protect the peacekeepers, targeted by violent demonstrations
Present in the DRC since 1999, MONUC (UN Mission in Congo) which became Monusco (United Nations Stabilization Mission in the DRC) in 2010, currently has more than 14,000 peacekeepers, with an annual budget of a billion dollars.