Congo: rebels kill young priest

Father Justin Mandro Kpanga, 30, who worked in Fataki, north east Congo, has been murdered, the Missionary News Service learnt yesterday. The parish priest of Fataki, Fr Protais Dhena, said Fr Justin disappeared at the beginning of the month, when Fataki, a small town in prevalently populated by the Hema ethnic group was attacked by rival Lendu militia. Several eyewitnesses said he was abducted by the militia, with several other people. When they attempted to escape, Fr Justin was shot and killed. A religious source in Bunia told MISNA it had not yet been possible to retrieve Fr Justin's body. The mineral-rich Fataki area is mainly inhabited by the Gegere (Hema) of northern Ituri. In recent years it has been the scene of many incursions in the Lendu. Source: MISNA