"As many as 80 heavily armed fighters had crept in through the protected grasslands in south-east Democratic Republic of the Congo and encircled Lusinga, the park headquarters perched on a steep grassy ridge."
"Seven people were killed during the mayhem, including five civilians, among them young Congolese conservationists and motorbike drivers."
"Upemba is a haven for threatened species, home to the DRC's last herd of wild zebras. Some of the last remaining elephants in southern DRC also roam the 1.3m-hectare park."
"In recent years, it raised funding to recruit new rangers, and animal populations decimated by poaching began to recover."
On March 3, a coordinated attack by approximately 80 armed fighters targeted Upemba national park headquarters, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals, including five civilians. The attack began at dawn while rangers were preparing for anti-poaching patrols. Despite warnings, Congolese soldiers did not arrive until hours later. The attackers looted weapons and sought specific targets, overwhelming the rangers. Upemba national park, a conservation success story, is home to endangered species and has faced increasing threats to wildlife defenders.
#upemba-national-park #wildlife-conservation #armed-conflict #poaching #democratic-republic-of-the-congo
Read at www.theguardian.com
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