8 dead in explosion at military camp bar in eastern Congo

By JUSTIN KABUMBA
Associated Press

GOMA, Congo (AP) — A spokesman for Congo’s government says at least eight people are dead in the country’s east after an explosion at a bar in a military camp. The deaths happened Thursday night not far from the center of Goma, which is the largest city in eastern Congo and home to a large U.N. peacekeeping mission presence. Witnesses at the scene tell The Associated Press that a grenade caused the deadly explosion but authorities did not immediately confirm the account. The rare explosion in Goma comes amid mounting violence in eastern Congo, some of which has been blamed on militants with shadowy links to Islamic extremist organizations. Those fighters have deliberately targeted the Congolese military as soldiers have stepped up counterinsurgency operations.