At least 89 civilians have been killed in a series of attacks by Allied Democratic Forces rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo over the past week, according to the country’s United Nations mission. The violence represents one of the deadliest recent episodes in the conflict-ravaged region where multiple armed groups operate.
The UN Stabilization Mission in Congo (MONUSCO) reported that the ADF carried out “particularly deadly” attacks between November 13 and 19 in several locations around the Lubero area in North Kivu province.
“The attacks in the Bapere and Baswagha chiefdoms have resulted in the killing of 89 civilians, including at least 20 women and an as-yet-undetermined number of children,” the mission stated.
Pattern of Violence
The recent assault adds to the grim tally of casualties attributed to the ADF, an armed group of former Ugandan rebels that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. According to an AFP tally, the ADF has killed more than 260 people since July alone, most of them civilians.
MONUSCO’s statement detailed that other towns “were also affected by serious abuses, including abductions, the looting of medical supplies, the burning of homes and the destruction of property”.
Earlier reports from AFP on November 15 indicated that at least 15 people died in one attack, while the local Red Cross placed the death toll at 23 for that specific incident.
Regional Conflict Context
Eastern DR Congo has long been plagued by violence from numerous armed groups and militias. The region also contains Rwanda-backed anti-government M23 forces, which seized large areas of North and South Kivu in January and February.
The ADF operates primarily to the north of the M23’s area of operations, having established a presence in the region after originating as a Ugandan rebel group. Their tactics frequently target civilians in remote communities.
International Response
Since 2021, the Ugandan army has been deployed in northern North Kivu and Ituri province to fight alongside the Congolese army against the ADF. However, the UN mission noted that the rebels have largely avoided direct confrontations, and the joint military operation has not succeeded in halting the violence against civilians.
The persistent attacks raise continuing concerns about the effectiveness of regional security measures and the protection of vulnerable populations in eastern DR Congo, where conflict has displaced millions over decades of instability.
