Caritas worker fatally shot in the Democratic Republic of Congo

A Caritas aid worker was tragically killed in Kalonge, DRC on September 19, 2024. The incident occurred when the worker was passing through a rebel-controlled checkpoint and was asked to pay. It is not revealed if he resisted but he was shot in the head.

“Dieudonné was shot in the head on 19 September at a roadblock in the village of Cholobero by members of an armed group who demanded he pay the toll, even though, as a humanitarian, he was not obliged to do so,” CARITAS International said in a statement on their LinkedIn page.

Dieudonné Barondezi was the Director of the Caritas branch in Kalonge, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He died at the Cifunzi hospital. His death was a devastating loss for the organisation and the community they served.

Caritas Internationalis has condemned the killing and expressed deep sorrow for the loss of their colleague, adding that as a humanitarian worker, he was not supposed to pay toll fee.

The organization is calling for a thorough investigation into the incident and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

The DRC has been plagued by conflict and violence, making it a challenging environment for aid organizations to operate.