Rabat – The members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Wednesday strongly condemned the recent attacks on the UN mission in DR Congo (MONUSCO) in North Kivu.
The violent attacks resulted in the death of at least five UN peacekeepers, including two Moroccan soldiers from the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) contingent.
In a statement, the 15-nation council expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the victims, and to India and Morocco, while wishing a speedy recovery to the wounded peacekeepers and civilians.
The UNSC urged Congolese authorities to swiftly investigate the attacks and bring the perpetrators to justice, stressing that deliberate attacks on peacekeepers may be considered war crimes under international law.
They also requested the UN Secretary-General to provide an update in accordance with Security Council resolution 2589 adopted in 2021 on measures taken to promote accountability for such acts.
The UN’s top council further called on all parties to cooperate fully with the UN mission in the DR Congo and remain committed to the implementation of the mission’s mandate, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2612 and the status-of-forces agreement with MONUSCO.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres conveyed his condolences to Morocco following the deadly attacks after a Moroccan soldier died due to injuries sustained from gunfire during attacks on several deployment sites of the FAR contingent.
A day after, another Moroccan UN peacekeeper died “after an accidental shooting of an element of the UN police.”
The Kingdom of Bahrain has also condemned the attack and expressed “its sincere condolences and compassion to the Moroccan government, the brotherly Moroccan people, as well as the families of the victims.”
The Gulf country also wished a speedy recovery for the 20 Moroccan soldiers injured amid the anti-MONUSCO protests in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s turbulent northeastern region.
A communiqué from Bahrain’s foreign ministry stressed the decades-long solidarity and cordial ties between the two countries, highlighting the important role undertaken by the FAR within the framework of MONUSCO in maintaining security, peace, and providing humanitarian assistance in DR Congo.
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