Belgium on Wednesday warned its citizens against travelling to DR Congo, as Brussels Airlines scrapped a flight to Kinshasa after violent protests erupted over the conflict rocking the east of the country.
“All travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo is currently discouraged,” Belgium’s foreign ministry said.
“On 28 January, a violent protest took place in Kinshasa against, amongst others, the Belgian embassy. There have been announcements that protests may take place again in the coming days.”
The statement said that Belgian citizens currently in the country “can leave the country by their own means”.
The advice came after national carrier Brussels Airlines cancelled its Wednesday flights to and from Kinshasa.
The airline runs a daily Brussels-Kinshasa return service. “The decision to resume operations will be made after a thorough and careful assessment of the security situation,” the Belgian carrier said in a statement.
Protesters in Kinshasa furious over international inaction on Tuesday targeted the embassies of Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, France, Belgium and the United States.
Supermarkets were also looted and piles of tyres burned during chaotic demonstrations in the capital.
France, the EU and Kenya condemned the embassy attacks.
Protesters accused Rwanda and Uganda of actively supporting the armed group M23 which after a lightning offensive in North Kivu province with the support of Rwandan troops entered the regional capital Goma on Sunday.
The main city in eastern DR Congo has become a battleground since fighters from the Tutsi-led M23 armed group backed by Rwandan forces entered central Goma on Sunday night after a weeks-long advance through the region.
Former colonial ruler Belgium has close ties with DR Congo and a large Congolese diaspora living in the country.
AFP
