Two Roman Catholic priests have been kidnapped by a militia in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to officials, AFP reports.
Kidnappings occur frequently in this part of eastern DR Congo due to conflict between the Nande and Hunde ethnic groups and Hutus, according to AFP.
Bishop Paluku Sikuli of the Beni-Butembo region told AFP that the two priests, who are ethnic Nandes, were taken by the Mai Mai militia into the mountains. Their abductors took two vehicles and two motorbikes.
Amisi Kalonda, a local administrator, confirmed the priests' kidnapping:
"Our defence and security services are working to find them."
According to the administrator, the kidnappers abandoned the vehicles they were travelling in.
Five years ago, three priests were abducted near Beni by rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces from
neighbouring Uganda. They have never been heard of since, AFP says
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