A notorious militia in eastern DR Congo executed 17 people it had taken hostage the previous day, local sources said. The victims were captured in the Djugu territory, about 45 kilometres (30 miles) north of Bunia in Ituri province, according to community leader Banguneni Gbalande, who was alerted by the families of the dead. “The hostages are dead; they have been executed by the CODECO militia,” added another local traditional leader, Toko Kagbanese.
CODECO – the Cooperative for the Development of the Congo – is one of many armed groups operating in the restive, mineral‑rich region. The hostages were seized after three CODECO members were killed in a clash with a rival militia, a resident of Bambu, one of the two villages attacked on Saturday, explained. Among those taken captive was a pregnant woman who asked not to be identified for security reasons.
Since the end of 2022, dozens of people have been killed each week in the gold‑rich Ituri province. In recent days, CODECO fighters have been blamed for a series of massacres that claimed the lives of 30 people, including women and children. The militia claims to protect the Lendu community from the Hema ethnic group and the national army.
Eastern Congo is plagued by dozens of armed groups, many of which are legacies of the regional wars of the 1990s and 2000s. Ituri province remains a violence hotspot, where attacks resulting in dozens of deaths have become routine.
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