The Italian Foreign Ministry confirms that the country's ambassador to Congo-Kinshasa, Luca Attanasio, a 30-year-old Italian policeman and their driver have been killed in an attack on a UN convoy, the Italian news agency Ansa reports.
The attack is said to have taken place in connection with Virunga National Park in the eastern parts of Congo-Kinshasa.
Ambassador Luca Attanasio is said to have been taken to hospital in the city of Goma, where he later died.
Fine comb area
The UN convoy was part of the peacekeeping work in the country.
According to the Italian channel RAI, the attack was a kidnapping or attempted robbery that went awry, but this has not yet been confirmed.
Several armed groups are in the area and often go on the park's guards, according to Ansa.
The Congolese armed forces say they are combing the area to find the perpetrators.
The nature reserve is guarded by close to 700 guards.
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio left the EU Foreign Ministers' meeting in Brussels and returned to Rome as a result of the act.
"Today, Italy mourns two of its sons and embraces their families, friends and colleagues at the Foreign Ministry and the police," said Di Maio.