Kindu atrocity

The Kindu massacre, or Kindu atrocity, took place on 11 or 12 November 1961 in Kindu Port-Émpain, in the Congo-Léopoldville (the former Belgian Congo), where thirteen Italian airmen, members of the United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC), sent to pacify the country ravaged by civil war, were murdered. The Italian aviators manned two C-119s, twin-engined transport aircraft known as Flying Boxcars, of the 46ª Aerobrigata based at Pisa Airfield.

When independence was proclaimed, Belgium left Congo-Léopoldville (modern-day Democratic Republic of the Congo) in political and administrative chaos; major international and financial interests played a part in making the situation even more serious by favoring the secession of two regions, South Kasai and Katanga. Katanga was the richest province in the country with important mining activity.

Three factions were involved: Joseph Kasa-Vubu's, with troops led by General Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, the pro-Lumumba faction led by Antoine Gizenga with troops under the command of General Victor Lundula holding the eastern province; and Moise Tshombe's Katangan faction, with gendarmes supported by foreign mercenaries.

War had suddenly broken out the previous month, following the murder of Patrice Lumumba, the former nationalist Prime Minister who had tried to free the country from outside influences. The instigator of the murder was Moise Tshombe, leader of the breakaway State of Katanga, supported by president of the Republic Joseph Kasavubu and by the head of the Armed Forces Mobutu Sese Seko, who would later govern the country for four decades.

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