ADF Rebels Kill 89 Civilians in Eastern DR Congo Amid Rising Insecurity

ADF Rebels Kill 89 Civilians in Eastern DR Congo Amid Rising Insecurity

The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) have killed 89 civilians in a series of brutal attacks across eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) over the past week, according to the United Nations (UN) mission in the country.

The violence adds to ongoing instability in North Kivu and South Kivu, where multiple armed groups, including the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, have captured significant territories earlier this year.

Originally a Ugandan rebel group, the ADF, now linked with the Islamic State, has intensified assaults in the region, targeting villages in the Bapere and Baswagha chiefdoms. The UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO described the attacks, which occurred between November 13 and 19, as “particularly deadly.”

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“The attacks resulted in the killing of 89 civilians, including at least 20 women and an undetermined number of children,” MONUSCO stated. Local sources reported widespread mass abductions, looting of medical facilities, burning of homes, and destruction of property.

Despite a joint military operation launched in 2021 between the Ugandan and Congolese armies to counter the ADF, the rebels have largely avoided direct confrontation, continuing to terrorize local populations. Since July, more than 260 civilians have been killed by the ADF, highlighting the persistent security crisis in eastern DR Congo.

ADF Rebels Kill 89 Civilians in Eastern DR Congo Amid Rising Insecurity