Luca Attanasio, the Italian ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was killed on 22 February 2021 along with two other people when a World Food Programme (WFP) delegation travelling on a field visit was attacked by armed individuals.

[15] The bodies of Attanasio and Iacovacci were repatriated to Italy via military aircraft, and were met by Prime Minister Mario Draghi in a small ceremony on the tarmac.

[17] President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Félix Tshisekedi sent a letter to Attanasio's widow Zakia Seddiki, saying his government had started an investigation in Goma "so that light is shed on these heinous crimes as soon as possible.

"[18] Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Luigi Di Maio said "the circumstances of this brutal attack are still unclear and no effort will be spared to shed light on what happened.

"[18] Congolese authorities accused the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda of the killing;[3] they denied responsibility and condemned the attack.