LUBUMBASHI – DR Congo’s army repulsed an assault by gunmen on Lubumbashi airport in the south of the country Friday in which a civilian security guard was killed, a government spokesman said. “Fewer than 20 people”, who have not yet been identified, sparked a three-hour gun battle when they attacked the airport at around 4:00 am, Communications Minister Lambert Mende told AFP.
“The situation is under control. The people who were trying to seize control of the airport’s arms store have been routed,” Mende said by telephone from the capital Kinshasa. He said some of the attackers had been captured and were being interrogated by the army. A source at the airport in the capital of the rich southeastern mining region of Katanga said earlier it appeared the attackers belonged to a “group of secessionists,” without giving further details.
