Two United Nations employees and several civilians were killed after heavily armed militants attacked the northwestern town of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of Congo, news agencies report. The rebels took over the town’s airport on April 4, but U.N.-backed troops were able to recover control of the facility April 5, Reuters reports.
The attack was reportedly prompted by a dispute between two DRC tribes, Enyele and Munzale, over fishing and farming rights, The Associated Press notes. The DRC army has been in conflict with the Enyele tribesmen since November 2010.
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The Mbandaka attack comes as the U.N. negotiates with DRC for the extension of the mandate of its peacekeeping troops in the country. Their current mandate ends in May.
