DR Congo：国立公園レンジャー12名が殺害された

　少なくとも12名が、（推定）武装反乱勢力によって殺害された。当の疑われた勢力側は犯行声明は出していない由。

BBC DR Congo's Virunga National Park hit by 'deadliest' attack 24 Apr 2020

　ここ最近では最悪の被害。どうも60名ほどの武装勢力が襲撃してきて、民間人のコンボイを護ろうとしたレンジャーが犠牲になった模様。

「At least 12 rangers have been killed by suspected members of a Rwandan rebel group in the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Government official Cosma Wilungula said Friday's attack was the deadliest in recent history.

He said about 60 militiamen had ambushed a convoy of civilians that was being protected by the rangers.

Africa's oldest nature reserve is a popular tourist attraction, known for its population of mountain gorillas.」

　マウンテンゴリラで有名なこの国立公園は、3月23日から閉鎖中。マウンテンゴリラにCovid-19を引き起こさないための措置。なのでこの民間人というのは地元民。

「Another six people were injured in the attack blamed on militiamen from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), whose leaders have been accused of links to the 1994 genocide in which some 800,000 ethnic Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed.

The group has so far made no public comments on the accusations against it.」

「"Virunga Park Rangers were not the target of the assault, but lost their lives responding to the attack in defence of the local population," the statement said.」

「The park closed to tourists on 23 March following advice from experts that gorillas might be vulnerable to complications from catching Covid-19.」

　何の恨みがあったものか、それとも人質としてカネかメシの種にでもしようとしたものか。
　なんにせよ、任務のために我が身を投げ出すような良質のレンジャーをまとめて喪失したわけで、これは相当痛いことだろう。