At least 52 civilians have been killed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group backed by the Islamic State, according to the United Nations and local officials.
The ADF rebels, armed with machetes and hoes, targeted the Beni and Lubero areas, killing men, women, and children in brutal attacks.
Lieutenant Elongo Kyondwa Marc, a regional Congolese army spokesperson, said the ADF was taking revenge on civilians after suffering defeats by Congolese forces.
The attacks, which occurred between August 9 and 16, have been condemned by the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) “in the strongest possible terms”. MONUSCO’s spokesperson noted that the death toll could rise as the search for victims continues.
The ADF is one of several militias operating in Congo’s mineral-rich east, and the Congolese army, supported by Uganda, has intensified operations against the group in recent weeks.
Local officials described the attacks as deliberate and brutal, with residents being woken up, gathered in one place, tied up with ropes, and then massacred with machetes and hoes. In the village of Melia alone, about 30 civilians were killed, with children and women among the victims.
The ADF’s attacks have also involved setting houses on fire and destroying property.
