Three humanitarian NGO workers kidnapped in DR Congo

Three workers of a Catholic humanitarian organization, Caritas, were kidnapped by armed men on Tuesday in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), security sources said.

Police sources in North Kivu said a convoy of two vehicles that were transporting the three workers was ambushed by armed men and the three Caritas workers were kidnapped and taken to a nearby forest.

"One of the vehicles came under fire, but was able to turn around," the source said, adding that there were two German journalists in the vehicle and one of them was wounded in the leg.

Father Arsene Munembwe of Mweso diocese in North Kivu province, who was contacted by Xinhua, confirmed the incident, adding that the kidnappers were demanding a ransom of 20,000 U.S. dollars to release the hostages. Endit