Several persons were reported dead following an attack by unidentified gunmen on Friday, on Ndosho quarter in the city of Goma, North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to local sources, the attack took place around 19 hours when the yet to be identified gunmen opened fire at point-blank range on passersby killing and wounding several persons.Ā
The number of those dead is yet to be ascertained.
āOur teams of youths working with the village vigilante group confirm having been informed that the armed individuals numbered about five,” said Johnston Ishara, president of the youth parliament in North Kivu.
Ishara said the gunmen “wore jeans and were in civilian attire”.Ā
“They shot at the population who were going about within the area between the telecommunication antenna and Kabasha,” he added.
According to him, initial fatal casualties counted on the spot were five with several wounded, noting, however, that more deaths were reported later on in the night.Ā
“We are now told the death toll is very high but we do not know how many people are dead. So far, eleven other corpses have been counted among the civilians and several wounded,ā Ishara revealedĀ
Up until the early hours ofĀ Saturday, gunshots were still being heard in the area.
Security forces are reported to have arrived Ndosho quarter later and are currently on the heels of the invaders.
No official statement has yet been made by the administration and military authorities concerning the identities of the attackers and the total number of those killed.
āIt is very scary that unidentified armed individuals can arrive a locality and kill people and get away while the security forces slept,” said a civil society activist who elected for anonymity because he fears for his life.
“What is the use of security forces when they cannot secure the lives of ordinary citizens? The killings in this country are so much. One feels like there is nobody in charge in this country any longer.”
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