Unarmed protesters in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who accused a military officer of supporting Rwanda-backed rebels became the targets of gunfire Monday that left at least three people dead, witnesses and the regional governor said.
Witnesses belonging to a militia and a civil society group participating in the protest in the city of Uvira in South Kivu province said members of DRC’s military opened fire on the protesters and killed at least four of them and injured seven.
But South Kivu Gov. Jean-Jacques Purusi Sadiki said the regional government’s death toll so far was three, with five people wounded. He said the victims were “unarmed protesters,” and gave his condolences to victims, but he declined to say who had opened fire.
The protesters accused Gen. Olivier Gasita, a commander recently deployed to the city by the Congolese military, of supporting the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and demanded his removal.
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