Luca Attanasio

{{Infobox Officeholder

| name = Luca Attanasio

| image = Luca_Attanasio.jpg

| office = Italian Ambassador to
the Democratic Republic of the Congo

| term_start = 5 September 2017

| term_end = 22 February 2021

| predecessor = Luigi Scotto

| successor =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1977|05|23|df=y}}

| birth_place = Saronno, Lombardy, Italy

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|02|22|1977|05|23|df=y}}

| death_place = Goma, North Kivu, DR Congo

| death_cause = Gunshot wounds

| occupation = Diplomat

| spouse = Zakia Seddiki (m. 2015)

| children = 3

| alma_mater = Bocconi University

}}

Luca Attanasio (23 May 1977 – 22 February 2021) was an Italian diplomat who served as the ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 2017 until his murder there in 2021.{{cite news |title=Italian ambassador to DR Congo dies in attack on UN convoy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/22/italian-ambassador-to-dr-congo-dies-in-attack-un-convoy-luca-attanasio |access-date=22 February 2022 |work=the Guardian |date=22 February 2022 |language=en}}

Early life

Attanasio was born on 23 May 1977 in Saronno, Lombardy, Italy, to father Salvatore Attanasio. He grew up in Limbiate, Lombardy.{{cite news|url= https://www.ilgiorno.it/mondo/attanasio-luca-ambasciatore-1.6052548| title=Chi erano Luca Attanasio e Vittorio Iacovacci| language=it| work=Il Giorno| date=22 February 2021| access-date=22 February 2021}} He graduated with honors in business at Bocconi University in 2001.

Career

Attanasio started his diplomatic career in 2003, at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as Directorate for Economic Affairs, Business Support Office, and then to the secretariat of the Directorate General for Africa. A year later he became deputy head secretariat of the undersecretary of state with responsibility for Africa and International Cooperation. Attanasio started his diplomatic career outside Italy in 2006, serving as the Economic and Commercial Office at the Italian Embassy in Bern (2006–2010) and the Regent Consul General in Casablanca (2010–2013).{{cite news |title=Luca Attanasio, chi era l'ambasciatore morto in Congo: era tra i diplomatici italiani più giovani nel mondo|url=https://www.ilmessaggero.it/mondo/luca_attanasio_ambasciatore_italiano_morto_chi_e_congo_cosa_e_successo_news_oggi-5783433.html|access-date=22 February 2021 |work=Il Messaggero|date=22 February 2021 |language=it}}

While Regent Consul General in Casablanca Attanasio befriended the representatives of the Trevi group. The company Trevi Fondazioni was then negotiating a cooperation agreement with Morocco for infrastructure contracts around Casablanca and he facilitated the transaction.[https://lejournaldelafrique.com/en/mort-de-lambassadeur-italien-en-rdc-un-assassinat-politique/ Death of the Italian ambassador in the DRC: a political assassination?] lejournaldelafrique.com, 23 February 2021

In 2013 he returned to the Farnesina where he was appointed Head of the Secretariat of the Directorate General for Globalization and Global Affairs. He then returned to Africa as first counselor at the Italian embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, in 2015. From 5 September 2017 until his death he was head of mission in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. From 31 October 2019 he was confirmed on site as an Extraordinary Plenipotentiary Ambassador accredited in the DRC.{{cite news |title=Luca Attanasio, chi era l'ambasciatore ucciso in Congo|url=https://www.corriere.it/esteri/21_febbraio_22/luca-attanasio-chi-era-l-ambasciatore-ucciso-congo-1ef7c994-7501-11eb-b048-5f97627f6464.shtml|last=Caprara |first=Maurizio |access-date=22 February 2021 |work=Corriere della Sera |date=22 February 2021 |language=it}} In October 2020, he was awarded the Nassiriya International Prize for Peace.{{Cite web |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/02/22/three-killed-including-italian-ambassador-in-congo-attack/ |title=Three killed, including Italian ambassador, in Congo attack |date=22 February 2021 |last1=Kamale |first1=Jean-Yves |last2=Winfield |first2=Nicole |website=Associated Press |access-date=24 February 2021}} Attanasio was one of Italy's youngest ambassadors.{{cite news| url= https://napoli.repubblica.it/cronaca/2020/10/13/foto/premio_nassiriya_per_la_pace_all_ambasciatore_attanasio-270497925/1/| title= Premio Nassiriya per la Pace a Luca Attanasio, ambasciatore italiano in Congo| work=la Repubblica| date=13 October 2020| access-date=22 February 2021}}

Death

At 10:30 am on 22 February 2021, a World Food Programme (WFP) convoy of three vehicles, carrying a total of seven people,{{Cite news|last1=Specia|first1=Megan|last2=Pianigiani|first2=Gaia|date=22 February 2021|title=Italian Ambassador Among Three Killed in Attack on U.N. Convoy in Congo|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/22/world/africa/italy-ambassador-killed-congo-ambush.html|access-date=22 February 2021|issn=0362-4331}} including Attanasio, was attacked by six armed individuals.{{Cite news|date=22 February 2021|title=L'ambasciatore Luca Attanasio e il carabiniere Vittorio Iacovacci uccisi in agguato in Congo. Mattarella: "Lutto per servitori dello Stato"|language=it|work=Il Fatto Quotidiano|url=https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2021/02/22/lambasciatore-luca-attanasio-e-il-carabiniere-vittorio-iacovacci-uccisi-in-agguato-in-congo-mattarella-lutto-per-servitori-dello-stato/6109427/|access-date=22 February 2021}} The convoy was travelling in North Kivu, from the province's capital of Goma to a WFP school feeding programme in Rutshuru, a town {{convert|70|km|mi}} north of Goma, on a route that would have taken the vehicles through Virunga National Park. The attack occurred near the townships of Kibumba{{cite tweet |user=MONUSCO |title=L'attaque a eu lieu à Kibumba, à 25 kilomètres au nord-est de Goma, dans la province du Nord-Kivu |number=1363851628017815554 |language=French |date=22 February 2021 }} and Kanyamahoro. The WFP has stated the attack occurred on a road that had previously been cleared for travel without security escorts.{{Cite web|title=Attack on World Food Programme field mission in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo {{!}} World Food Programme|url=https://www.wfp.org/news/attack-world-food-programme-field-mission-eastern-democratic-republic-congo|access-date=22 February 2021|website=www.wfp.org|date=22 February 2021 |language=en}}

Attanasio was the main target of the attack.{{Cite news|date=22 February 2021|title=Attentato in RD Congo: morto ambasciatore italiano Luca Attanasio, uccisi anche un carabiniere e l'autista|language=it|work=Fanpage|url=https://www.fanpage.it/esteri/attentato-in-rd-congo-attacco-contro-convoglio-onu-ferito-ambasciatore-italiano-luca-attanasio/|access-date=22 February 2021}} As the gunmen attempted to kidnap him, they opened fire, killing Mustapha Milambo, the Congolese UN driver.{{Cite news|last1=Kelley|first1=Jeremy|last2=Kington|first2=Tom|title=Italian ambassador among three killed in Congolese ambush|date=22 February 2021|website=The Times|access-date=27 May 2021|language=en|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/italian-ambassador-among-three-killed-in-congolese-ambush-6cjq7gww5|issn=0140-0460}} They then threatened the six other members of the convoy and brought them to the nearby forest.{{Cite news|date=22 February 2021|title=Congo, uccisi l'ambasciatore italiano Luca Attanasio, un carabiniere della scorta e l'autista – "Portati nella foresta e giustiziati"|language=it|work=TGCom24|url=https://www.tgcom24.mediaset.it/mondo/congo-uccisi-in-un-attacco-lambasciatore-italiano-luca-attanasio-un-carabiniere-della-scorta-e-lautista_29007717-202102k.shtml|access-date=22 February 2021}} As local security forces were arriving at the scene following the report of shots fired, the gunmen killed 30-year-old carabiniere Vittorio Iacovacci and mortally wounded Attanasio. The attackers then kidnapped three of the hostages and fled the scene, while a third Italian national escaped unharmed.{{Cite news|date=22 February 2021|title=Attanasio e Iacovacci portati nella foresta e uccisi. Congo: tutti gli aggiornamenti|language=it|work=Quotidiano.net|url=https://www.quotidiano.net/esteri/attentato-congo-ambasciatore-italiano-1.6052463|access-date=22 February 2021}} Attanasio was hospitalized in critical condition at the UN Hospital in Goma, but died there an hour later after his admission due to gunshot wounds to his abdomen,{{Cite news|date=22 February 2021|title=Italian ambassador to DR Congo killed in UN convoy attack|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56151600|access-date=22 February 2021}} bringing the total number of deaths resulting from the attack to three.{{cite news|title=Italian ambassador to DR Congo killed in UN convoy attack|work=BBC News |date=22 February 2021 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56151600|access-date=22 February 2021}} Attanasio was the first foreign ambassador to be killed in the DRC since 1993, and the first Italian ambassador killed while serving his term.

The state funerals for both Attanasio and Iacovacci were held on 25 February 2021, at the Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Rome.{{cite web|title=Attanasio e Iacovacci: funerale di Stato in S. Maria degli Angeli a Roma. "Vite strappate da violenza stupida"|url=https://roma.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/21_febbraio_25/funerale-stato-attanasio-iacovacci-chiesa-santa-maria-angeli-roma-bc8dafee-7744-11eb-b71c-971d2c071301.shtml|last=Plotino|first=Carmen|date=25 February 2021|access-date=25 February 2021|website=Corriere della Sera|lang=Italian}}

The Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda were accused of being behind the attack by local authorities. However, the group denied any responsibility and condemned the attack, calling it 'ignoble'.{{cite web|title="Ambasciatore e carabiniere uccisi dai rapitori"|url=https://www.adnkronos.com/attacco-in-congo-commando-di-6-uomini-armati-di-ak47-e-machete_YmcBh3qZUqi1XswyXFZeQ|access-date=23 February 2021|website=Adnkronos|date=23 February 2021 }} Attanasio's wife, Zakia Seddiki, told Il Messaggero she believed he had been "betrayed by someone close to us, to our family", saying "someone who knew his movements has spoken, has sold him out and betrayed him".{{Cite web |url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2021/02/26/Widow-of-slain-Italian-Ambassador-Luca-Attanasio-says-he-was-betrayed- |title=Widow of slain Italian Ambassador Luca Attanasio says he was 'betrayed' |date=26 February 2021 |website=Al Arabiya |access-date=9 May 2021}}

On 5 March 2021, Mwilanya Asani William, the attorney who was investigating the murder of Attanasio and the two other men, was murdered by unknown gunmen during an ambush.{{Cite news|date=5 March 2021|title=Congo, ucciso in un'imboscata il procuratore che indagava sulla morte di Attanasio e Iacovacci| language=it| work=Quotidiano.net|url=https://www.ilmattino.it/primopiano/esteri/congo_ucciso_procuratore_attanasio_iacovacci_cosa_e_successo_ultime_notizie_news-5810904.html}}

On 19 January 2022, police in the DRC announced they had arrested six members of a highway robbers' gang suspected of killing Attanasio.{{Cite web|title=DRC arrests suspects in Italian ambassador's killing|url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/drc-arrests-suspects-in-italian-ambassadors-killing/2479982|access-date=2022-01-19|website=www.aa.com.tr}}

According to a report from Le journal de l'Afrique, Attanasio's assassination was a revenge by his former partners, members of the March 23 Movement (M23) headed by Jean-Marie Runiga, for unfulfilled trade promises.

Personal life

Attanasio was married to Zakia Seddiki, a Morocco-born woman from Casablanca, since 2015. She is the president of a Congolese non-governmental organization providing assistance to women and children.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/23/world/europe/italy-mourns-ambassador-bodyguard-congo.html |title=Italy Mourns an Ambassador and His Bodyguard, Killed in Congo |date=23 February 2021 |last=Pianigiani |first=Gaia |website=The New York Times |access-date=24 February 2021}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/monde/l-ambassadeur-italien-en-republique-democratique-du-congo-tue-dans-une-attaque-ce-que-l-on-sait_2145433.html |title=L'ambassadeur italien en RDC tué dans une attaque : ce que l'on sait |date=22 February 2021 |website=L'Express |access-date=24 February 2021 |language=French}} They had three daughters.{{cite news| url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/luca-attanasio-italian-ambassador-killed-congo-b1805540.html| title= Luca Attanasio: Italian ambassador killed in Congo during kidnap attempt| work=The Independent| date=22 February 2021| access-date=22 February 2021}}

Attanasio himself was a Christian, belonging to the Catholic faith, according to Limbiate parish priest Angelo Gornati.{{Cite web |url=https://www.ilmessaggero.it/italia/luca_attanasio_funerale_islam_chiesa_ultima_ora_parroco_congo_africa_attentato_ambasciatore-5788540.html|title=Attanasio, il parroco: "Luca era un cattolico praticante, non si era convertito all'Islam"|date=24 February 2021 |website=Il Messaggero|language=Italian|access-date=5 March 2021}} After his death, several Muslim communities observed a Salat al-gha'ib, or absentee funeral prayer, for him and Milambo.{{Cite web |url=https://www.laluce.news/2021/02/27/ambassador-luca-attanasio-was-a-muslim-hes-a-martyr-the-imam-says/ |title=Ambassador Luca Attanasio was a Muslim? He's a Martyr, the Imam Says |date=28 February 2021 |website=La Luce |access-date=5 March 2021}} Baraa Al Obeidi, imam of Milan's Maria Mosque, said Attanasio should be considered a martyr by the Muslim community, as he was an innocent killed due to his humanitarian work.