Attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo where they were killed there‘Italian ambassador Luca Attanasio and the carabiniere Vittorio Iacovacci, who was in the convoy with the diplomat. The soldier was 30 years old, he was on duty at the Italian embassy since September 2020.
The attack took place on the route between Goma and Bukavu by, according to initial information, a terrorist commando who he used small arms. Investigations are still underway on the dynamics and the motive.
It is with deep sorrow that the Farnesina confirms the death of the ambassador e of a soldier of the Carabinieri: they were traveling aboard a car in a MONUSCO convoy, the United Nations stabilization mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A driver is the third victim of the attack in the eastern province of North-Kivu, reveals a diplomatic source in Kinshasa. The ambassador, adds the source, died after being shot in the abdomen and arrived at the hospital in Goma in critical condition. “The Congo Armed Forces are doing everything possible to find out who the perpetrators are”, which took place north of Goma. The North Kivu region is the scene of the action of dozens of armed groups vying for natural resources and is home to the Virunga Park, famous for its mountain gorillas and guarded by 628 armed rangers.
The attack was a ‘kidnapping attempt’, Virunga National Park rangers reveal, cited by various media outlets including the Jerusalem Post. The attack took place around 10 (9 am Italian).
A condolence message came from the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella to Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio: “I received with dismay the news of the cowardly attack that struck an international convoy near the city of Goma a few hours ago, killing Ambassador Luca Attanasio, carabiniere Vittorio Iacovacci and their driver. The Italian Republic is in mourning for these servants of the state who lost their lives in the fulfillment of their professional duties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “.
The Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, after informing EU colleagues of the tragic event and expressing all his sorrow for the death of our ambassador in Congo and the carabiniere, he decided to leave the work of the EWC early and is currently returning to Italy. “I learned with dismay and immense pain of the death today of our Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo and of a soldier of the Carabinieri – said Di Maio -. Two servants of the state who were violently torn from us in the fulfillment of their duty. The circumstances of this brutal attack are not yet known and no effort will be spared to shed light on what happened. Today the State mourns the loss of two of its exemplary children and gathers around families, their friends and colleagues at the Farnesina and in the Carabinieri “.
“Today is a dark and very sad day for our country. I will report to Parliament as soon as possible to clarify what happened”, wrote the Foreign Minister on Fb.
Deep condolences of the Government and its expressed by the Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, for the tragic death of Luca Attanasio, Ambassador of Italy to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and of Vittorio Iacovacci, a member of the Carabinieri who accompanied him on board a convoy to Goma. The Prime Minister and the Government cling to family members, colleagues from the Farnesina and the Carabinieri. This was stated in a note from Palazzo Chigi. The Prime Minister is following developments in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the utmost attention.
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