Congo-Kinshasa: Global Witness Condemns Deadly Attack On Upemba National Park

11 March 2026
Global Witness (London)
press release

Violence against environmental defenders remains an urgent global crisis.

Global Witness strongly condemns the shocking attack on March 3 on the Lusinga headquarters of the Upemba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Seven staff members were reportedly killed following an armed raid. The youngest victim was 28, while the oldest was 73.

Local communities have also been targeted as violence in the area has increased.

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Rangers and park staff working to protect nature often do so at enormous personal risk. Global Witness has previously reported on how park rangers have faced repeated and deadly attacks from local Mai-Mai militias, likely linked to illegal poaching and mining. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those on the frontlines of conservation.

Attacks against land and environmental defenders remain an urgent global crisis. According to the latest data from Global Witness, at least 146 defenders were killed or disappeared worldwide in 2024, bringing the total documented since 2012 to at least 2,253.

Across Africa, defenders continue to face serious threats. Global Witness documented nine killings of land and environmental defenders in Africa in 2024, including four in the DRC who were working to protect Upemba National Park. The organisation warns these figures are likely higher, due to structural data gaps and underreporting across the continent. Our latest report shows the DRC is the eighth most dangerous country for defenders.

Javier Garate, a senior policy advisor at Global Witness, said:

"We express our solidarity and extend condolences to the staff of Upemba National Park and the communities living there facing these attacks.

The horrific attack highlights the deadly risks faced by those protecting nature in the DRC, one of the most biodiverse countries in the world.3. Defenders cannot wait any longer for the state to provide appropriate protection or to tackle the root causes of this violence. When such attacks go unpunished, they send a chilling message: that defending our planet could cost you your life.

It is crucial that an impartial and transparent investigation takes place without delay. Protecting the planet should never be a death sentence."

Authors

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