Dutch people in east Congo told to leave the area

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is telling all Dutch people in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo to leave the region. The city of Sake was besieged by riots on the night of Tuesday on Wednesday. According to the Ministry, the situation in the nearby town of Goma can worsen.

There are no Dutch people in Sake to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs knowledge. According to a spokesperson for the Ministry, the embassy is in contact with people in Goma, some of whom left after the call. The border to Rwanda is open until the afternoon in the city. It is unknown how many Dutch people there are in Congo, as registration is prohibited.

Let your friends and family know if you are safe was the recommendation from Foreign Affairs to the people in the area. You can also contact the Ministry for more information or help.

The Foreign Office warns that unannounced, possibly violent, demonstrations may also occur in the rest of the African country. In the capital, Kinshasa, demonstrations regularly target foreigners. Dutch people must, therefore, be vigilant and avoid large gatherings.

The Netherlands has changed the code from orange to red for the country's east, which means people are warned not to go. The rest of the country is still code orange, meaning only strictly necessary business trips are advised.