Aketi (town)


Aketi is a town in the Bas-Uele Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the seat of Aketi Territory. As of 2009 it had an estimated population of 38,588.

History

The town was called Port-Chaltin during the colonial era after the Belgian officer Louis Napoléon Chaltin. It took its current name in 1971. During the Congo Crisis, Aketi was the scene of some fighting with armed groups targeting white Westerners and Roman Catholic priests and nuns. At least one American missionary was killed and a number of priests were beaten and nuns were harassed. The village fell to government forces in late November 1964, and ten Americans and more than 130 Belgian hostages were rescued.

Transportation

Aketi is served by Aketi Airport and connected to the now defunct Vicicongo line, a portage railway.