DRC: 7 civilians killed by ADF rebels

At least seven (07) civilians were killed during an attack perpetrated by ADF rebels in the commune of Mulekera, in the heart of the town of Beni, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

A new deadly attack hit the Beni region, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, last Friday. At least 7 civilians lost their lives during this attack, claimed by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group active in the region for several decades and affiliated with Daesh.

The attack took place in the commune of Mulekera, located in the heart of the town of Beni, in the province of North Kivu, bordering Uganda, where the rebel movement originated. The victims were mainly farmers, some being found in their fields while others were discovered along the way, according to Beni civil society leader Pépin Kavota.

Congolese army spokesman Captain Anthony Mwalushay confirmed the attack and the death toll, but did not provide further details. He said the attackers were led by the second and third commanders in charge of operations within the ADF.

This attack is part of a series of violence perpetrated by the ADF in the region, despite the efforts of the Congolese and Ugandan armed forces to neutralize them. Already, at the beginning of April, a similar attack in the town of Mangina had left 15 civilians dead, with images of the execution of the victims broadcast by the attackers.