Eighteen employees of a gorilla sanctuary in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have been kidnapped by an armed militia group, local sources confirmed.
The incident occurred on Monday in the Nzovu area, within Kahuzi-Biega National Park, according to an NGO official. The armed group responsible is believed to be the Mai-Mai Raia Mutomboki, which operates in the region.
The abducted group includes nine administrative staff members conducting an inventory and nine park rangers, the source added.
Kashombana Bin-Saleh, the administrator of Shabunda territory, verified the abductions, stating:
“Eighteen workers from Kahuzi-Biega National Park were taken by armed militiamen. All 18 are alive, and negotiations for their release will begin as soon as a park delegation arrives in Shabunda.”
Local civil society representatives said the kidnappers are demanding a large ransom in exchange for the workers’ freedom.
Spanning more than 2,300 square miles (6,000 square kilometers) of rainforest—over twice the size of Luxembourg—Kahuzi-Biega National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the last remaining habitats of the endangered eastern lowland gorilla, with only about 250 individuals left in the wild.
The park, established in 1970 by Belgian conservationist Adrien Deschryver, takes its name from two dormant volcanoes within its boundaries. It lies on the edge of one of Africa’s most unstable regions, where armed conflict has persisted for more than two decades.
