Pope Francis praises the Italians who died in the Congo

Pope Francis praises the Italians who died in the Congo: Pope Francis sent a message to the Italian president. He expresses his sorrow for the death of the country's ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who died on Monday in an apparent kidnapping attempt.

In praise of Pope Francis

In a telegram dated 23 February addressed to President Sergio Mattarella. Pope Francis said it was "With pain I learned of the tragic attack that took place in the Democratic Republic of Congo". During which the Italian ambassador to Congo. Luca The military policeman Vittorio Iacovacci and their Congolese driver Mustapha Milambo were killed. “I express my deepest sorrow to their families, the diplomatic corps and the police forces. For the departure of these servants of peace and of law ”. Calling Athanasius, 43, “a person of remarkable human and Christian qualities. Always a prodigy in establishing fraternal and cordial relations, for the restoration of peaceful and harmonious relations within that African country ".

Francesco also recalled Iacovacci, 31, who was supposed to get married in June. As "experienced and generous in his service and close to starting a new family". “While I raise prayers of suffrage for the eternal rest of these noble sons of the Italian nation. I exhort trust in God's providence, in whose hands nothing good is lost, all the more so when it is confirmed with suffering. "He said, offering his blessing" to the families and colleagues of the victims and to all those who cry for them ".

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Attanasio, Iacovacci and Milambo were killed in a fire fight on Monday. All this near the city of Goma, capital of the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, devastated by the conflict for years.

The Italians who died in the Congo

The group, which traveled in two separate vehicles, consisted of five WFP employees accompanying Attanasio and his security escort. After about an hour on the road, the vehicles were stopped by what Dujarric described as "an armed group". All passengers were asked to get out of the cars, after which Milambo was killed. The remaining six passengers, including Athanasius, were then forced under the threat of a gun to swerve along the side of the road. A firefight ensued, during which both Attanasio and Iacovacci were killed.

Papa Francesco praises the Italians who died in the Congo: indicating that the reason for the incident was an attempted kidnapping. Dujarric said the other four passengers have evaded their "captors" and are all "safe and justified". Attanasio leaves his parents, his wife and their three daughters. In comments to the Italian news agency ANSA, Attanasio's father Salvatore said his son was happy with his post in the DRC. “He told us what the goals (of the mission) were,” Salvatore said, recalling how his son “was always a person who focused on others. He has always done good. He was guided by high ideals and was able to involve anyone in his projects “.

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The Pope and the Italians who died in the Congo

Salvatore described his son as an honest and just man who never quarreled with anyone. When he learned of his son's death, Salvatore said it was as if “the memories of a lifetime passed in 30 seconds. The world has collapsed on us. "" Things like this are unfair. They shouldn't happen, ”he said, adding that“ life is over for us now. We must think of the grandchildren ... these three boys had green pastures in front of them with a father like that. Now they don't know what happened. "

According to UN figures, nearly 2020 civilians were killed by militants in 850. Belonging to the allied democratic forces in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu. Between 11 December 2020 and 10 January 2021 alone, at least 150 were killed in eastern Congo and another 100 were kidnapped. The violence has also caused a massive humanitarian crisis in which around 5 million people. In the east they were displaced and 900.000 fled to neighboring countries.