The eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s North Kivu province has witnessed unrest resulting in the deaths of at least seven individuals, as reported by local officials on Saturday.
The turmoil stemmed from public outrage over a surge in deadly attacks attributed to suspected Islamist rebels, particularly the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group linked to the Islamic State.
The recent violence included an ADF attack on Mayikengo village, where more than 40 people were allegedly killed, and over 80 fatalities in attacks on other villages in the province the previous week.
The escalation in insecurity has intensified public frustration, culminating in the killing of two soldiers and their driver in Lubero territory by a crowd that torched their vehicle overnight on Friday, according to local official Julio Mabanga.
Further clashes ensued on Saturday in the same area between security forces and local residents, resulting in the deaths of three more individuals: a civilian, a soldier, and an agent of the ANR national intelligence service, Mabanga added.
A similar protest erupted in Butembo city on Saturday, with hundreds of youths taking to the streets wielding sticks, chanting, and singing songs to denounce the widespread insecurity, as observed by a Reuters reporter.
“I’m here at this roundabout, barricading the road. We sympathise with our killed compatriots,” said Daniel Sivanzire Paluku, one of the protesters, who said they needed to block the roads to monitor who was coming and going.
Butembo Mayor Mowa Baeki Telly confirmed that one civilian was killed during clashes between security forces and protesters in the city. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), originally from neighboring Uganda but now based in mineral-rich eastern Congo, has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
This affiliation has led to frequent attacks by the ADF, exacerbating the instability in a region already rife with competing militant groups vying for influence and resources.
Efforts to reach the ADF for comment on the recent attacks have been unsuccessful. However, the U.S.-based SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant websites, reported on Friday that the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province division claimed responsibility for killing 51 people in attacks in North Kivu earlier in the week.
Additionally, the group claimed to have beheaded over 60 individuals in a single attack in the province on June 7.
