Armed protesters have been seen on the roof of the US embassy which has been attacked and set alight in Kinshasa, where looting has also been reported.
Protesters in the Democratic Republic of Congo have attacked the US embassy, as armed men were seen on the roof of the building which seems to be well alight.
Shock images from the country’s capital, Kinshasa, showed thick black smoke billowing into the sky. The protesters were heard chanting “death to imperialists” in the attack on the US Embassy.
On Monday Rwanda-backed rebels claimed they had Congo’s strategic city of Goma, the hub of a region containing trillions of dollars in mineral wealth, sending thousands of people fleeing from the area. Today’s protesters are said to be accusing the US of supporting the M23 rebels involved in yesterday’s siege.
Today’s shock images seem to suggest the embassy is well alight. Embassy spokesperson Tammy Bruce earlier said: “Secretary of State Marco Rubio today called Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi to discuss bilateral relations and strengthening our ties.
“During the briefing call, Secretary Rubio condemned the assault on Goma by the Rwandan-backed M23 and affirmed U.S. respect for the sovereignty of the DRC. Secretary Rubio and President Tshisekedi agreed on the importance of advancing the Luanda process and the efforts of Angolan President João Lourenço to restart talks between the DRC and Rwanda as soon as possible.”