Apparent Assassination Attempt on Congolese Activist Dr. Denis Mukwege

Around 7 p.m. (WAT) on October 25, 2012, four armed men entered the home of Dr. Denis Mukwege in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo, according to sources working for Swedish aid organization PMU (Pentecostal Mission Development). The men forced his family at gunpoint to wait for the doctor's return -- upon arriving, Dr. Mukwege was ambushed and his vehicle confiscated. The security guard on duty attempted to intervene, but was shot and killed. Dr. Mukwege was then fired upon, but managed to avoid being hit and did not sustain any serious injuries. The men fled in Dr. Mukwege's vehicle, which was later abandoned.

The location and identity of the four attackers is unknown at this time.

Dr. Mukwege is a Congolese gynecologist and the founder of the Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, DRC -- a facility that specializes in the treatment of women who have been sexually abused. A prominent advocate for women's rights, he has become one of world's leading experts on repairing physical damage caused by rape and has received numerous international awards including African of the Year, the Clinton Global Citizen Award (read his interview with The Huffington Post), the UN Human Rights Prize, and has been nominated twice for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Photo courtesy of panzihospital.org.