Congolese rebel group kills 14 UN peacekeepers

Fourteen United Nations peacekeepers died and more than 40 others sustained injuries when a rebel group attacked their base in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, UN officials said Friday. Radio Okapi, linked to the peacekeeping mission in the country, reported the peacekeepers attempted to repel fighters from the Allied Democratic Forces group. UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix said he was outraged by the Thursday evening attack in North Kivu province, adding that medical evacuations at the scene are ongoing. A majority of the peacekeepers came from Tanzania, but at least five Congolese died in the attack, said deputy UN spokesman Farhan Haq. “It’s a huge attack, certainly the worst in recent memory,” Haq said. The UN peacekeeping mission in Congo, the organization’s largest, is tasked with protecting civilians from dozens of armed groups in the country.