Climate Af Province North Kivu | Population 231,952 (2013) Local time Friday 1:48 AM | |
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Country Democratic Republic of the Congo Weather 18°C, Wind S at 3 km/h, 89% Humidity | ||
Beni is a city in north eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, lying immediately west of the Virunga National Park and the Rwenzori Mountains, on the edge of the Ituri Forest.
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Map of Beni, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Overview
It is home to a market, an airport and the Christian Bilingual University of Congo (UCBC). As of 2013 it had an estimated population of 231,952. Beni contains four communes, or municipalities: Beni, Bungulu, Ruwenzori and Muhekera.
The town was the scene of fierce fighting in the Second Congo War around 2001. Beni also has many MONUC bases; elements of the Indian-led North Kivu Brigade are based in the town.
Beni's mayor was in 2007 Jules Mungwana Kasereka, since Julien Kahongya was elevated to Governor of Nord-Kivu.
Between October 2014 and May 2016 over 500 people died in a series of attacks on Beni and its surrounding area that have been attributed to Ugandan Islamist rebels.
The Beni massacre occurred here in August 2016.