The death toll has increased to 41 following an attack on villages in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo by suspected Islamist rebels, according to a spokesman for the Congolese army. The attack, carried out by members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), was confirmed by Lieutenant-Colonel Mak Hazukay, an army spokesman in North Kivu province. The ADF, originating from Uganda and now based in eastern Congo, has pledged allegiance to Islamic State and frequently conducts attacks, exacerbating instability in the region with many active militant groups.
The rebels are also suspected of another assault earlier in the week that resulted in at least 16 deaths. Local official Fabien Kakule reported that armed men used guns and machetes to attack residents of Beni territory overnight on Friday. Vusindi Nick Junior, a local civil society leader, added that a local health center was set on fire, and nine people were injured in addition to the 41 fatalities.
Several dozen civilians have been victims of the ADF in eastern DRC in recent days. Terrorist groups are taking advantage of the chaos to expand their hold on an already very unstable region,” said EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Nabila Massrali.
“Urgent need to accelerate efforts to find a political solution,” she added.
Julien Paluku, a former governor of North Kivu, said on X that Congo’s national government needed to do more to address insecurity in the east. The government has not yet made any statement on the attack. A government spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.
“People have the impression, rightly or wrongly, of being abandoned to their sad fate,” he said.
