Kinshasa, 27 October 2013: One peacekeeper died today following fightings with M23 in Kiwanja. “I am outraged by this tragic news. The soldier died while protecting the people of Kiwanja. This deserves my deepest respect. I condemn emphatically people or groups involved in such actions, which are attempts to prevent us in doing our job: protecting civilians”.

While fighting is continuing between M23 and FARDC around Kiwanja areas, MONUSCO is more than ever determine to protect all civilians leaving in this area.

The area will be secured and all necessary means will be used to reach this objective.

Note to the editors

· Many IDPs are moving for shelters in MONUSCO bases in Kiwanja and Munigi

· MONUSCO has deployed troops to prevent fighting reaching IDPs centres.

· EJVM is investigating the latest accusations of cross-shelling in neighboring countries