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Lebanese Nationals Killed In Kinshasa In January
KINSHASA, March 7 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Congolese government ministers confirmed on Wednesday that 11 Lebanese nationals were executed in the Democratic Republic of Congo after the assassination of President Laurent Kabila, a Lebanese community source told MSNBC.
Justice Minister Mwenze Kongolo confirmed Wednesday that several Lebanese residents of the Democratic Republic of Congo were killed in Kinshasa in January following the slaying of Kabila.
Kongolo said Kabila's death unleashed "violent reaction" in the capital and led to the death of "many people, including several Lebanese citizens".
The minister did not give the names or number of victims, nor the circumstances.
Eleven Lebanese nationals in Kinshasa disappeared after the fatal shooting of Kabila on January 16th, "abducted" from their homes a few hours after the assassination, according to a local human rights group.
Lebanon on Wednesday sent a top civil servant to Kinshasa to seek information on the disappearances.
The Lebanese community, many of whom operate import and export businesses in Kinshasa, have strong roots in the DRC, which has been wracked by more than two and a half years of war.
A bodyguard at his presidential palace shot Kabila on January 16th, and the government has since launched an investigation into the killing.
Officials said the head of state died of his wounds on January 18th in a hospital in Harare, Zimbabwe, where he had been flown for treatment.
Kabila's 29-year-old son, Joseph Kabila, was sworn in as president on January 26th.
Joseph Kabila, who succeeded his father as president, set up a commission of inquiry into the assassination. According to the New York Times, the inquiry was due to conclude Wednesday, although it is unclear whether its findings will be published.
A number of military and civilian officials are reported to have been arrested since the inquiry began, including Laurent Kabila's close aide, Edy Kapend, who military sources say is being held at a Kinshasa military camp, the Times adds.
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