Reported by: Puis Althea | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
At least 32 civilians have been brutally killed in a series of coordinated attacks over the past 72 hours by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the Mambasa territory of Ituri province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, local sources have confirmed. The Islamist rebel group, which has sworn allegiance to the Islamic State, struck the villages of Njiapanda-Bela and Lukaya in two separate assaults that have once again exposed the fragile security situation in the resource-rich but conflict-ravaged region. Local civil society representatives have warned that the death toll remains provisional as search operations continue for possible additional victims, while the violence has triggered a fresh wave of displacement across neighbouring communities.
The latest bloodshed began on Wednesday, July 22, when suspected ADF fighters attacked the village of Mandeite and Ndiapanda in Mambasa territory. According to Radio Okapi, a United Nations-backed outlet, at least 16 people were killed in that initial assault. However, as search operations continued and more bodies were recovered, the death toll for Njiapanda-Bela alone rose to 25. The second attack occurred on Friday, July 24, in Lukaya, where seven more civilians were killed. Several residents were reportedly abducted during the raids, with some forced to carry looted goods into the bush by the rebels.
The violence has sent shockwaves through the region, forcing residents to flee their homes in fear of further incursions. The ADF fighters are reportedly advancing towards Makumo, pushing many inhabitants to abandon their villages. A climate of fear has also gripped neighbouring localities, including Malulu in the neighbouring Irumu territory, where residents live under the constant threat of attack. The surge in violence has also triggered a fresh wave of displacement in the affected villages and neighbouring communities as residents fled for fear of further incursions. Economic and agricultural activities in the affected areas have ground to a halt amid the persistent insecurity.
The attacks have drawn sharp condemnation from civil society groups, who are calling on the Congolese government to urgently reinforce the military presence in the region and provide the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) with the necessary resources to neutralise the rebels permanently. “We ask the authorities to take the ADF issue seriously. These rebels are killing and sabotaging the government’s efforts,” said Marie-Noëlle Anotane, a member of the Congo Civil Society. Local actors attribute the resurgence of attacks to the insufficient number of FARDC troops deployed in this part of Mambasa territory. The United Nations peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, has deployed its rapid intervention force from Sayo to support security patrols and help protect civilians.
The ADF, originally a Ugandan rebel group, has operated in eastern DRC for decades and has been affiliated with the Islamic State in Central Africa since 2019. Since March of this year alone, the armed group has killed more than 100 people in about 20 villages across Mambasa territory. The ongoing violence has been compounded by a severe Ebola outbreak in the region, which has already claimed nearly 1,300 lives, further complicating humanitarian access and containment efforts. As of Saturday evening, neither local authorities nor the DRC military had officially commented on the attacks. However, affected populations are hoping for a swift intervention to prevent further bloodshed.
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