Three kidnapped aid workers in east DRC released - U.N.

Three Congolese employees of international charity Save the Children who were kidnapped in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last week have been released, a spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Tuesday.

“Glad to know that three (Save the Children) staff released, remain (concerned) about insecurity,” OCHA’s Congo office wrote on its Twitter feed, without providing further detail.

Glad to know that 3 SCinDRC #Northkivu staff released, remain cocerned about insecurity humanitarians need access to do their work #DRC

— OCHADRC (UNOCHA_DRC) March 8, 2016

The three were reportedly abducted on March 3 by armed men in Lubero territory in the eastern part of North Kivu province.

In March 2015, two employees of an NGO were held hostage for 48 hours by unidentified kidnappers in Rutshuru territory (south of North Kivu province) before being rescued by security forces.

The Eastern part of DRC has been plagued for two decades by chronic instability caused by local and foreign armed groups who have perpetrated ethnic violence while fighting for mineral resources.