DRC: 15 soldiers killed in an attack by Mobondo militiamen

DRC: new rebel attacks in the Beni region

ByThe Mwebantu Team

A series of attacks this week by rebels affiliated with the Islamic State left more than 50 people dead in the Beni region of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) continue to sow terror in the east of the country.

More than fifty people lost their lives this week in a series of new attacks perpetrated by rebels affiliated with the Islamic State group in the Beni region, located in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). These attacks, carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), were confirmed by local sources to AFP this Friday.

The latest attack, which took place Thursday in three villages in the Beni territory, caused the death of 13 people, according to Kinos Katuo, president of the civil society of Mamove. “Seven men and six women” were killed and several others were missing, he said. Earlier this week, on Tuesday, 39 other people were killed during incursions into three other villages in North Kivu, added Léon Siviwe, an administrative official in Beni. In addition, 15 people were killed on Tuesday in the village of Masau, according to sources.

The toll from these attacks could rise further as searches continue and the local population continues to flee to supposedly safer areas. Léon Siviwe specified that several motorcycles and houses had been destroyed during these attacks. John Bwanakawa, president of Cantine civil society, said the majority of residents in his village had fled to neighboring towns, including Beni, facing the imminent threat from ADF rebels, located just seven kilometers away.

The ADF, initially predominantly Muslim Ugandan rebels, have been in eastern DRC since the 1990s, where they have killed thousands of civilians. In 2019, they pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, which presents them as its “province of central Africa” (Iscap). These rebels are also accused of recent attacks on Ugandan soil. Despite a joint military operation launched at the end of 2021 by Kampala and Kinshasa, called “Shujaa”ADF abuses continue.

The Mwebantu Team
The Mwebantu Team

Led by Nia, the insightful editor-in-chief, Kwame, our technology expert, and Amara, the bold field reporter, the Mwebantu team weaves the vibrant narrative of Africa every day, forging a narrative bridge between the continent and the world. Their shared passion illuminates the mission of Mwebantu News, making African voices resonate on the global stage.