On Sunday, two UN officials and four support staff were abducted in Kasai-Central province in the DRC. American Michael Sharp and Swedish Zaida Catalan were travelling with three drivers and a translator when they were abducted. The pair are part of a team sent to the DRC to monitor UN sanctions. A significant search effort is underway.

From the BBC –

Two UN officials kidnapped in DR Congo

Michael Sharp, a US man, and Zaida Catalan, a Swedish woman, were taken by unknown assailants on Sunday, according to a UN official.

The pair were taken along with four Congolese support staff into the forest near the village of Ngombe in Kasai Central province, the official said.

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From ABC News and the AP –

Congo says American, Swedish officials with UN kidnapped

Michael Sharp of the United States and Zahida Katalan of Sweden were abducted with three Congolese drivers and a translator while traveling by motorcycle through the region, government spokesman Lambert Mende said. 

It was not clear when the kidnapping occurred on a bridge near the village of Ngombe, Mende said, adding that the kidnappers have not yet been identified.

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From the Local –

Swede among two UN experts kidnapped in DRC

Congolese security forces and the UN’s MONUSCO mission in the DRC spent Monday using helicopters to look for the missing people, but were unable to do so, and resumed the search on Tuesday.

“We’re using all available resources. The search is still ongoing, they are still missing. We still don’t have any proof that they have been kidnapped or killed. We’re looking in the area and hope to find them alive,” MONUSCO communications head Charles Bambara told Swedish news agency TT.

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