Deadly Attack in Eastern DR Congo Blamed on Islamic State-Linked Militants

A devastating attack in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed the lives of at least 20 people, local sources told AFP on Thursday. The brutal assault, attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militant group, took place in the Beni territory of North Kivu province, an area plagued by violence.

According to Nicolas Kikuku, mayor of the commune of Oicha, the victims were innocent farmers who were killed by gunshot or knife while working in their fields. The attack occurred approximately 30 kilometers from Oicha, where most of the bodies were brought.

“The enemy always attacks the poor farmers,” Kikuku said, emphasizing the ADF’s ruthless targeting of civilians.

As of Thursday evening, 19 bodies had been brought to the morgue, with officials acknowledging that the toll may be higher as other bodies are still being discovered in the area. Darius Syaira, civil society representative for Beni, urged the government to provide military reinforcements to combat the ADF, which has been wreaking havoc in the region.

The ADF, originally composed of mainly Muslim Ugandan rebels, has been active in eastern DR Congo for over three decades, leaving a trail of destruction and thousands of civilian casualties in its wake. Since 2021, the Congolese and Ugandan armies have been conducting joint operations against the ADF, but have thus far failed to halt the deadly attacks.

In 2019, the ADF pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, which has portrayed them as its central African branch. The group has been accused of committing mass atrocities against Congolese civilians and staging attacks in neighboring Uganda.

The latest attack serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in eastern DR Congo, where civilians continue to bear the brunt of the violence.