DRC: Curfew in Beni and Butembo lifted June 27

Event

Local authorities announced on Tuesday, June 27, that the nightly curfew in place in Beni and Butembo since June 11 had been lifted. According to a local civil society leader, the lifting of the curfew is worrisome as the region remains unstable and Beni, in particular, prone to attacks by militiamen. On Tuesday morning, June 27, clashes reportedly erupted between the DRC Armed Forces (FARDC) and militiamen from what is believed to be a new coalition of armed groups, the National Movement of Revolutionaries (MNR).

Context

The curfew was imposed in the two areas following an attack at a Beni prison that allowed at least 930 detainees to escape. Multiple attacks of this nature have been reported in the past month at prisons across the DRC. Overnight June 10-11, two similar attacks occurred in the capital Kinshasa, one inside the Mont Amba district police station and one at a Matete courthouse, both located in the Matete district. On May 17, 4600 detainees escaped from the Makala prison in Kinshasa. On May 19, approximately 70 prisoners escaped from  Kasangulu jail in Kongo Central province.

Advice

Individuals present in the DRC are advised to monitor the situation and to obey all instructions issued by the local authorities.

More generally, individuals in the DRC are advised to exercise caution and maintain a low profile at all times. For various security reasons, a number of Western governments advise their citizens against travel to the east and northeast of the country.