MONUSCO Says Was Not Escorting Convoy With Italian Ambassador To DRC When It Was Attacked

GENOA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd February, 2021) The UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) told Sputnik that it was not escorting a convoy of vehicles that came under attack in the African country earlier on Monday, leading to the death of Italian Ambassador Luca Attanasio.

"Please note the vehicles were not escorted by MONUSCO - you should [reach] out to our World food Programme colleagues," the UN mission said.

Earlier in the day, the Italian Foreign Ministry said that its ambassador and a carabineer had died in an attack in the city of Goma in North Kivu province as they were moving in a MONUSCO convoy vehicle.

North Kivu, located next to the border with Rwanda and Uganda, is a home province of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) group that brings together Islamists and forces opposed to longtime Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. The ADF has operated in the province since late 1990s. In 2017, the group swore allegiance to the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia). The United Nations holds the group responsible for killing hundreds of civilians.