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Residents from Beni demanded MONUSCO's withdrawal from the city because of the inaction of the U.N. forces.
Demonstrators bursted into the U.N. facilities in the city of Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Monday, after the U.N. forces were unable to stop an attack perpetrated by armed fighters that killed eight civilians in that northeastern city.
A tweet by the local police first showed the flames and thick black smoke of a fire caused by demonstrators at the mayor's office. Subsequently, the demonstrators marched to the offices of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo.
According to a civil society leader, Teddy Kataliko, dozens of people bursted into the offices of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo (MONUSCO), despite shots fired by Congolese security forces trying to disperse the angry crowd.
"Several offices at MONUSCO headquarters were burned and looted," Kataliko said. "Residents demand MONUSCO's withdrawal from Beni because of the inaction of UN forces.
Journalist Alain Uaykani of Al-Jazeera reported from Beni that attacks on U.N. facilities began in the morning.
"The U.N. soldiers were trying to defend themselves, but it was very difficult. Two people died around the demonstration around the UN camp, which destroyed half the wall of the main UN building," he said.
At the end of his report, Uaykani said that "the same demonstrators were going to the second U.N. military base located at the airport.
The offensive on MONUSCO facilities in Beni started after eight people were killed and several more injured due to an attack led by armed fighters on Sunday night.
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