Covenant News

Kinshasa Airport Explosions Being Investigated

KINSHASA, CONGO (April 17, 2000) - No Covenant personnel were injured in explosions at Kinshasa Airport last Friday, Covenant News Service has been advised. A group of Covenanters, including Bob Thornbloom, had passed through the airport several days prior to the explosion.

The Congo government said it is investigating the blasts that killed between 100 and 150 individuals, according to a Chicago Tribune report. Four planes were reportedly destroyed. "We're not ruling out any line of inquiry and the criminal context is being seriously looked at," said Didier Mumengi, spokesman for the Democratic Republic of the Congo government who was quoted in the Tribune article.

The government of President Laurent Kabila has been engaged in conflict supported by Rwanda and Uganda since 1998. Mumengi was quoted as saying the explosions were set off when a warehouse fire reached a cargo of ammunition.

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