On Sunday, January 29th, 2023, 15 people were killed during a series of assaults on villages in the eastern region of the country in the area of Bunia by the suspected ADF rebels.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has recently seen a wave of violence attributed to the IS-affiliated ADF rebels. This is the most recent ADF-related attack.
A local official told AFP that over three villages were attacked in the wee hours of the night by the rebels, who continue to terrorize the region, and also indicated that the toll might be higher.
“There were simultaneous attacks this Sunday between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on three villages. In Manyala village, we found seven bodies.at Ofay, there were eight dead, including seven women,” said local official Dieudonne Malangai.
Malangai added that ADF rebels also attacked Bandibese village in the Ituri province bordering Rwanda but ran into resistance from soldiers who intervened, so there were no civilian deaths.
Additionally, ADF fighters are also being blamed for raids in North Kivu last week, which resulted in at least 23 deaths, while a bomb blast at a Pentecostal church in the same province killed at least 14 others.
“We are tired of giving the death toll day after day,” Malangai added.
The ADF is an extremist group with links to the Muslim insurgency operating in eastern Congo that has been active in the region since the 1990s. It has intensified its campaign of violence in eastern Congo over the past two years, continuing to target civilians and spreading fear through kidnappings and massacres. According to recent reports, ADF rebel forces are well-armed and have recruited a number of local villagers as well.