25/09/2026
One Dead as Security Forces Open Fire During DRC Ebola Burial
BENI, DRC — At least one person was killed and several others were wounded on Thursday, September 24, 2026, after security forces opened fire during the safe burial of a suspected Ebola victim in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Tensions flared at the Katula-Paida cemetery in Beni, located in North Kivu province, when local residents demanded to view the deceased person and questioned the Ebola diagnosis. The situation escalated, prompting security forces escorting the health response team to fire shots to control the crowd.
The tragedy highlights the persistent friction surrounding outbreak response protocols in the region. Strict safe burial procedures are required because the bodies of Ebola victims remain highly infectious, but these safety mandates frequently conflict with traditional mourning rituals and customary body viewings.
Compounding the crisis, North Kivu province has experienced a sharp surge in new infections that is overwhelming local health facilities. Public mistrust of authorities and health workers has repeatedly triggered community pushback, resistance to medical protocols, and heavy-handed security interventions across eastern Congo.
📷Gradel Muyisa Mumbere