Islamic State-affiliated insurgents have carried out a series of attacks resulting in the death of 89 civilians in the eastern region of Lubero in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a statement by the United Nations peacekeeping mission MONUSCO. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) fighters were responsible for the attacks that occurred in various locations within North Kivu province from November 13 to November 19. Among the victims were 20 women and an unknown number of children.
During one of the incidents, the rebels targeted a health center operated by the Catholic Church in Byambwe, where at least 17 individuals lost their lives, including women seeking maternity care. Additionally, the rebels engaged in abductions and looting of medical resources in the area.
MONUSCO has called upon Congolese authorities to promptly conduct thorough investigations to identify and bring to justice the perpetrators and collaborators behind these brutal assaults. The ADF, originally established as a rebel group in Uganda, has been operating in the forests of Congo since the late 1990s and is affiliated with the Islamic State.
Security forces from Congo and Uganda have been conducting operations against the ADF, yet the group’s attacks persist. Notably, parts of North Kivu province are controlled by the M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, who made significant territorial gains this year. Efforts to mediate peace in the region involve countries like the United States and Qatar, aiming to resolve the conflict and potentially attract investments in the mining industry.
