Kinshasa, 5 April 2010 – The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for DRC, Alan Doss expressed his deep concern about the situation prevailing in Mbandaka, Equateur province, attacked by a rebel group on 4 April last.

"We regret the use of weapons as a means of expression or claim. We encourage everybody to use dialogue, exchange of views and other peaceful means to make their voices heard," said Alan Doss.

Sunday 4 April, At about 9.30am on Sunday 4 April, an armed group burst into the town of Mbandaka. The attackers disembarked from a boat and attacked the residence of the provincial Governor, the seat of the provincial Assembly and took control of the airport.

In the afternoon, joint action by MONUC and the Congolese Army, FARDC helped them to regain partial control of the airport. In the morning of 5 April, they took control of the entire airport. The attackers fled into Djombo forest in the vicinity of the airport and efforts are ongoing to overpower them.

The total death toll among the population and the attackers remains unknown whereas MONUC has lost one Ghanaian peacekeeper hit by an explosive shrapnel shell, a subcontractor who died as a result of heart failure and a subcontracting pilot killed by the attackers as they ran away.

MONUC elements, alongside the Congolese National Police and DRC Armed Forces have been patrolling the town since Sunday, especially in sensitive areas to make the population feel secure. MONUC will continue to back efforts to protect the population and bring back peace and security to the town.