Forty Killed in Suspected DR Congo Rebel Attacks
Local officials reported on Thursday that suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants killed over 40 people in twin attacks in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the latest act of violence in the volatile region.
The ADF, which the Islamic State claims to be its affiliate in central Africa, is one of the deadliest armed militias in eastern Congo, accused of murdering tens of thousands of civilians.
According to officials, fighters from the group attacked the neighboring villages of Mukondi and Mausa in the Beni territory of North Kivu province on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
Local administrator Kalunga Meso remarked, “It’s utterly desolate.” They rounded up individuals before executing them.
He told AFP that 38 people were killed in Mukondi and eight in Mausa, but emphasized that these numbers were preliminary.
Mumbere Arsene, a prominent member of the local civil society, stated that 37 people were killed in Mukondi and eight in Mausa.
He stated, “All the deceased were killed with knives.”
Respected violence monitor Kivu Security Tracker (KST) reported on Thursday that armed men killed at least 30 people with machetes in Mukondi.
AFP was unable to confirm the death toll independently.
The ADF is among the most violent of the dozens of armed groups operating in eastern Congo, having been implicated in a string of bomb attacks and civilian massacres.
According to monitors, tens of thousands have perished at its hands, the majority in the Beni region.
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Since late 2021, a joint Congolese-Ugandan military operation has targeted the militia in eastern DRC, but attacks have continued.
The United States offered a reward of up to $5 million last week for information regarding Seka Musa Baluku, the leader of the ADF.
- Security Council visit – The latest attack by the ADF occurs as a delegation from the United Nations Security Council is scheduled to arrive in the DRC on Thursday.
During their three-day visit, the envoys are scheduled to travel to conflict-torn North Kivu to assess the security and humanitarian situation.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced within the province, which is also plagued by M23 rebels in addition to ADF attacks in its north.
Since reemerging from dormancy in late 2021, the Tutsi-led M23 group has captured vast swaths of territory and has recently been gaining ground on Congolese troops.
Goma is a regional trade hub with Rwanda to its east and Lake Kivu to its south. An M23 advance now threatens to cut off all road access to Goma.
The DRC accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23, an accusation shared by the United States, several other western nations, and independent UN experts.
Kigali refutes the accusation.
Dozens of armed groups roam the eastern DRC, the majority of which are remnants of regional conflicts that erupted in the 1990s and early 2000s.
