The Congolese M23 rebels are alleged by the European Union and the Institute for the Conservation of Nature to have shelled and “seriously” damaged a hydropower station in a national park.
There are reports that during Tuesday’s violent skirmishes with the army in Rutshuru territory in eastern DR Congo, the rebels shelled Virunga National Park with heavy weapons.
The EU in the DR Congo issued a statement on Twitter denouncing the M23 for “sabotage on a public facility that provides residents in North Kivu with electricity.”
The M23 were urged to “quickly lay down the arms and depart the occupied region” by the EU, which is funding the development of hydropower projects near Virunga Park.
Mountain gorillas, which are in danger of extinction, live in the park, which has been surrounded by M23 rebels since June.
Locals were cited by the Congolese Institute of Conservation as reporting that two heavy artilleries were fired at the facility from an M23 position five kilometers (three miles) distant, resulting in “severe materials damage.”
As they were evacuated when the clashes started, the institute claims that none of their staff were hurt, but it also notes that “there were numerous victims in adjacent communities.”
In their denial of targeting the facility, the rebels claimed that nature preserves “are not military objectives” of their attacks.
Bertrand Bisimwa, the leader of the group’s political branch, claimed in a statement that the claims presented by the institution were “made-up” to exonerate the army and its collaborators for “their heinous conduct.” According to local reports, six individuals were murdered during the riots on Tuesday.
