Bunia, 6 February 2014 – The Force Commander of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) made a day-working visit to Bunia, the district of Ituri, in the D. R. Congo’s Eastern province on 5 February 2014, where he held talks with the provincial commander of the National Armed Forces (FARDC).

The meeting between General Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz and General Fal Sikabwe fits into the partnership between MONUSCO Force and FARDC in their joint efforts to eradicate illegal armed groups still active in this province.

It is worth noting that several joint military operations, including “Iron Stone”, “Eagle claw” and “Tiger Punch” are conducted in Ituri to put an end to the activities of the “Front de Résistance patriotique de l’Ituri – FRPI (or Ituri Patriotic Resistance Front) led by Cobra Matata as well as other groups still active in this district.

Before travelling from Bunia to Goma in the North-Kivu Province, General Dos Santos Cruz visited an orphanage accommodating some fifty children aged between four months and three years. The Bunia-based UN Peacekeeping Bangladeshi contingent took the opportunity to provide free medical care to the orphans suffering from various pathologies and to donate food and non-food items to help the orphanage meet some of its needs.

Amadou Maiga/MONUSCO