Italy's ambassador to Democratic Republic of Congo killed in an attack

Italy’s ambassador to Democratic Republic of Congo, his bodyguard and a driver from the World Food Programme were killed yesterday when their convoy was attacked in the east of the country. The convoy was attacked near the town of Kanyamahoro, about 25 km north of the regional capital Goma.

The Italian government in statement confirmed the deaths of Ambassador Luca Attanasio, Italian military policeman Vittorio Iacovacci, and a Congolese driver, whose name has not been released. 

The driver was



working for the UN World Food Programme. A number of other passengers were injured. Dozens of armed groups operate in and around Virunga, which lies along Congo’s borders with Rwanda and Uganda. Congo’s Foreign Minister Marie Ntumba Nzeza said he promise the Italian government that his country’s government will do everything to discover who is behind this awful murder. 

WFP said the delegation was on its way to visit a school feeding programme in Rutshuru.