▁plate au ▁about ▁ 3 0   km ▁west ▁of ▁Lake ▁Albert ▁in ▁the ▁Albert ine ▁R ift , ▁and ▁about ▁ 2 5   km ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁It uri ▁Forest . ▁ ▁The ▁city ▁is ▁at ▁the ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁It uri ▁conflict ▁between ▁the ▁L end u ▁and ▁H ema . ▁In ▁the ▁Second ▁Congo ▁War ▁the ▁city ▁and ▁district ▁were ▁the ▁scene ▁of ▁much ▁fighting ▁and ▁many ▁civil ian ▁death s ▁from ▁this ▁conflict , ▁and ▁related ▁cl ash es ▁between ▁milit ias ▁and ▁U g anda - based ▁forces . ▁Con sequently , ▁the ▁city ▁is ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁United ▁Nations ▁peace - keep ing ▁forces ▁in ▁Africa , ▁and ▁its ▁headquarters ▁in ▁n ort he astern ▁D RC . ▁The ▁area ' s ▁natural ▁resources ▁include ▁gold ▁mines ▁over ▁which ▁milit ias ▁and ▁foreign ▁forces ▁have ▁been ▁fighting . ▁ ▁Cl imate ▁ ▁Transport ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁d irt ▁high ways ▁connecting ▁north - e astern ▁DR ▁Congo ▁with ▁K is ang ani ▁to ▁the ▁west ▁and ▁But em bo ▁and ▁G oma ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁pass ▁through ▁Bun ia , ▁but ▁have ▁fallen ▁into ▁dis rep air ▁and ▁are ▁virt ually ▁imp ass able , ▁especially ▁after ▁the ▁frequent ▁ra ins . ▁ ▁Bun ia ▁is ▁only ▁ 4 0   km ▁from ▁the ▁U g and an ▁border ▁running ▁down ▁Lake ▁Albert , ▁but ▁there ▁are ▁no ▁road ▁connections ▁across ▁the ▁Great ▁R ift ▁Valley ▁to ▁the ▁closest ▁U g and