Conservation group says poachers killed ranger, 2 soldiers in ambush in wildlife park in Congo

JOHANNESBURG – A group that runs African wildlife parks says heavily armed poachers killed a ranger and two soldiers patrolling in a national park in Congo.

African Parks, which is based in Johannesburg, said Friday that the poachers ambushed the men on Wednesday in Garamba National Park and that a second ranger was slightly injured in the attack. It says the park unit was being deployed to reinforce another team that had earlier exchanged fire with the poachers.

African Parks, which manages the Garamba park along with Congolese authorities, says the poachers are believed to be from South Sudan. The park is in northeast Congo, on the border with South Sudan.