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The DR Congo national players before the semi-final against the Ivory Coast

Photo: Franck Fife / AFP

The national players of the Democratic Republic of Congo caused a stir with a protest before their semi-final defeat at the Africa Cup of Nations. Similar to the German national team at the World Cup in Qatar, the professionals around captain Chancel Mbemba covered their mouths before the 0-1 defeat against the hosts Ivory Coast. They also placed two fingers of their other hand on their temples. The coaches and support staff on the sidelines also took part.

While the silent protest by the DFB team in 2022 was directed against the ban on the "One Love" captain's armband by the world association Fifa, the background to the Congolese action was apparently the serious unrest in the east of the Central African country.

“We wanted to send a message to the whole world,” said Francois Kabulo Mwana Kabulo, the country’s sports minister, to “Kicker” after the game: “We need a reaction from the international community, just like it happens in Ukraine and Palestine is. It is an unjust rebellion." He continued: "I hope the message gets through because we need peace."

According to the AFP news agency, at least six people have recently been killed in fighting between government troops and the M23 rebel movement in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Thousands fled on Wednesday from the Masisi territory in North Kivu province to the provincial capital Goma, around 20 kilometers away, security sources said. At the center of the fighting was the strategically important small town of Sake. According to eyewitnesses, bombs were dropped on the city.

“This is a really big deal and no one is paying attention”

Army spokesman Slyvain Ekenge told journalists there was "intense fighting" over a stretch of highway between the towns of Sake and Minova in neighboring South Kivu province. In the last three days, 20 injured people were admitted to the local health center, "mostly civilians," according to health circles in Sake. In Minova there were 30 injured.

“It’s a really big deal and nobody’s paying attention,” Swiss-born Congolese midfielder Charles Pickel complained to “kicker”: “Today it was a sign of our unity, today it’s more important than the game. We wanted to show the world what was happening there.” “We all decided together” to carry out the gesture, Pickel continued.

kjo/sid/AFP