UN hands over 1st military base in Congo to begin its drawdown after decades in the country

By RUTH ALONGA
Associated Press

KAMANYOLA, Congo (AP) — United Nations peacekeepers have handed over their first military base to security forces in eastern Congo as part of an eventual withdrawal after decades of operating in the country, and as violence soars in the conflict-riddled region. Peacekeepers on Wednesday transferred responsibility and equipment at its base in Kamanyola in South Kivu province to Congo’s national police as part of a phased drawdown agreed upon between the government and the U.N. last year. Eastern Congo has long been overrun by dozens of armed groups seeking a share of the region’s gold and other resources. The U.N. has been operating in the country for 25 years with its primary mission being the protection of civilians.