A militant attack, which killed eight civilians in the city of Beni, has sparked protests in DR Congo with angry locals targeting authorities and UN peacekeepers, accusing them of inaction and inability to curb violence.

The mass protests were triggered by a Sunday raid on the north eastern city, believed to be carried out by Islamists from the so-called Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) group. It is the latest tragedy in the persistent violence that has left over 2,000 people dead in the city alone over the last five years.

Protesting the government’s lack of action, a crowd several hundred strong gathered near the local city hall. The demonstration promptly got violent, and the mob looted and torched the city hall.

Après l'incendie de la mairie, les manifestants prennent pour cible les bases de la mission Onusienne en RDC, @MONUSCO. Ils sont en route pour #Boikene, le quartier qui abrite la plupart de ces installations, reprochant à cette force l'inefficacité dans la protection des civils pic.twitter.com/pAwdemRqOX — F I S T O N M A H A M B A (@FMLarousse) November 25, 2019

#Beni: Après la tuerie d'une dizaine de civils au quartier #Masiani, commune #Mulekera en cette nuit, des manifestants ont pris d'assaut la mairie de cette ville du #Nord_Kivu, qui est en feu sur cette vidéo. Ils protestent contre l'inefficacité de l'armée à protéger les civils pic.twitter.com/RPcKpEg659 — F I S T O N M A H A M B A (@FMLarousse) November 25, 2019

The crowd then turned its anger to the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), accusing it of an inability to protect civilians and attacking its main compound on the outskirts of the city.

#BENI: we want EFFECTIVE PROTECTION from our security forces and the UN, and we want it NOW !We’re urging the @MONUSCO to ACT or LEAVE.Marche pacifique en cours vers la base de la MONUSCO à Boikene/Beni-ville. #PasDeCongoSansBenipic.twitter.com/tSBnckMrjW — LUCHA | R.D. Congo (@luchaRDC) November 25, 2019

The mission, however, insists they are in the country only to provide support and treat the injured, explaining in a Twitter thread that MONUSCO troops cannot engage the militants on their own and will participate in combat operations only if the country’s government invites them to do so.

Such a stance appears to be exactly what the protesters were angered with, as they demanded MONUSCO to act or withdraw from the city altogether. Several buildings and vehicles, belonging to the mission were set alight by the mob.

Actually the congolese people they don't want monusco those so called peace keeper to be there any more because they are protecting those criminals that killing ,rapping women,children in DRC so they must go so why all those international news can't publish it? pic.twitter.com/Nugz8CVTny — Joseph perfection (@lumiere_Eternel) November 25, 2019

“Several offices at the MONUSCO headquarters were set on fire and looted,” Teddy Kataliko, a civil society leader in Beni, said. “Residents are demanding the withdrawal of MONUSCO from Beni because of the inaction of UN forces.”

#RDCongo La #RDC déclare que l'armée organisera des opérations "conjointes" avec l'#ONU dans la ville de #Beni.La #MONUSCO aura ainsi mandat pour intervenir dans les opérations visant à protéger les populations qui ont pris d'assaut une base aujourd'hui.#Congopic.twitter.com/QbV5bVrEuA — Rebecca Rambar (@RebeccaRambar) November 25, 2019

At least four people were killed by gunfire during the protests, local police said without specifying who exactly was shooting at the crowds. Graphic footage from the scene shows a dead civilian who sustained a gunshot to the head, carried away by fellow protesters.

La base "Mission Possible" de la @MONUSCO, située au quartier #Boikene sous le feu des manifestants après une nouvelle tuerie des civils à #Benipic.twitter.com/AnEfTeRfME — F I S T O N M A H A M B A (@FMLarousse) November 25, 2019

Later in the day, the country’s presidency held an emergency meeting with MONUSCO over the Beni situation, announcing that the armed forces will stage “joint operations” in the city with the UN force. MONUSCO, for its part, ambiguously said it would “strengthen cooperation with its partners and work closely with the authorities to jointly find solutions for the people of Beni.”

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the site of several religious and ethnic conflicts, that have been dragging on for decades. The ADF became the target for a new offensive by the government forces last month – and the Islamist group retaliated by a string of Beni-like massacres. The raids have already resulted in more than 70 civilian deaths since the start of the government offensive.

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The UN peacekeeping mission – previously known as MONUC – has been in the country for two decades already. The mission is one of the biggest-ever UN deployments, encompassing some 16,000 peacekeepers. While the bloodshed in the country has actually never stopped, the force is scheduled to be gradually withdrawn by the end of 2022 at the latest.

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