Rangers attacked in DRC park

This item appears on page 4 of the July 2020 issue.

An armed group, believed to be a Rwandan separatist militia, killed 12 rangers and injured six people in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on April 24. According to a government official, the militia ambushed a group of Congolese being escorted through the park by the rangers. 

Due to the presence of mountain gorillas, Virunga National Park is one of the most popular national parks in Africa for tourists. The park was closed to visitors on March 24 out of concern that the gorillas may be susceptible to COVID-19 infections. It remained closed at press time.