Six park rangers killed in DR Congo's Virunga wildlife sanctuary

Six rangers were killed today in an ambush in the Virunga National Park, the Democratic Republic of Congo's famed haven for gorillas and other endangered species, the park said.

"We have sadly lost six rangers," park spokesman Joel Malembe told AFP, adding that the ambush occurred between the sectors of Lulimba and Ishasha.

Located in DR Congo's violence-torn North Kivu province, the park is one of the most important conservation sites in the world, covering 7,800 square kilometres (3,011 miles) -- three times the size of Luxembourg.