A state of siege proclaimed in the Ituri and North Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will come into effect on Thursday for a 30-day period, President Felix Tshisekedi has announced.
In an address to the nation late Monday, Tshisekedi called on the population to adopt a responsible attitude and the government to ensure the necessary logistics for the armed forces which will be deployed during the siege period.
He recalled that he had made a commitment to lead a fierce fight against the insecurity that rages in the eastern part of the country until the complete eradication of the armed groups.
“Lasting peace is a prerequisite for our happiness and the development of our country,” Tshisekedi said.
During the state of siege, the provincial governments of Ituri and North Kivu will be made up of a military governor and a vice governor of the police, respectively, according to a presidential order.