UN Helicopter Carrying 8 Shot Down By Rebels In Congo’s East

Congo’s army says rebels in the country’s east have shot down a United Nations helicopter carrying eight peacekeepers and U.N. observers.

The helicopter shot Monday was among two carrying out reconnaissance for the U.N. mission in Congo, according to a statement from Congo’s army on Tuesday.

Those on the helicopter were assessing the movements of communities that had been attacked by a rebel group in order to coordinate humanitarian assistance.

The army said Congo’s forces and the U.N. are searching for the helicopter and potential survivors,.

Eastern Congo is prone to insecurity as there are several armed groups vying for control of mineral-rich territory lands. In 2012 the M23 rebels controlled large areas of eastern Congo, including the provincial capital Goma.

The rebels were eventually pushed from eastern Congo into Uganda and Rwanda in 2013 by Congolese and United Nations forces.

Despite ongoing efforts to disarm the group, M23 rebels have recently increased their attacks in the region.