The U.N. peacekeeping mission has suspended flights in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo after an attack on its helicopter last Friday, according to spokespeople from the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS).
Flights between Goma, the provincial capital, and the eastern cities of Beni and Bunia have allegedly been suspended till further notice, according to Claude Kalinga, a WFP representative in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
In a written statement, “UNHAS” affirmed that “On Friday, February 24th, a “UNHAS-operated” aircraft came under heavy fire shots while re-entering Goma coming from Walikale, about 10 minutes outside of Goma.”
The U.N. organization reported that the helicopter was able to land in Goma and that all three crew members and 10 passengers were uninjured.
Flights won’t resume until the security situation has been evaluated, according to Kalinga, who also stated that the armed gang that assaulted the helicopter has not been identified.