DR Congo's President Declares State Of Siege In Two Provinces

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 01st May, 2021) President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Felix Tshisekedi has declared a state of siege in two eastern provinces of the country � North Kivu and Ituri � due to the unsafe situation, government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said.

"The Council of Ministers took note of the decision of the President of the Republic to declare a state of siege in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri in order to end the unsafe situation," Muaya wrote on Twitter.

According to Muyaya the president's decision was made in accordance with Article 85 of the Constitution which states that the leader of the country can declare a state of emergency or siege when serious circumstances directly threaten the independence or integrity of the national territory or when they lead to disruption of the normal functioning of state institutions.

The DR Congo is currently facing a variety of different rebel and militant groups operating in the eastern part of the country. The Association for the Development of Congo (CODECO) operates in the province of Ituri with its armed forces composed of representatives of the Lendu people.

The violent conflict between the agricultural Lendu and pastoralist Hema ethnic groups in Ituri over the scarcity of land has been going on for decades.

The regions are also dominated by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist group which occasionally attacks local residents.