CONGO (Kaab TV) – Angry residents who were prevented from taking the body of a deceased man for burial set fire to tents and health facilities established by the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the eastern part of the country.
Relatives of the deceased argued that the man did not die from Ebola and said they had the right to bury him. They claimed the government blocked them from doing so, prompting the violent reaction.
The tents were being used to isolate people suspected or confirmed to have contracted Ebola in an effort to prevent the deadly disease from spreading to the wider community.
As tensions escalated, police fired warning shots to disperse the crowd. Security officials urged residents to remain calm and comply with government measures aimed at containing the spread of Ebola.
The deceased man was reportedly well known in the local community where the unrest occurred, a factor believed to have contributed to the public anger. Authorities remain concerned that the violence could escalate further, and additional security forces have been deployed to the area where the clashes took place.