Islamic State-affiliated militants have carried out a series of attacks in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Lubero territory, resulting in the deaths of 89 civilians, according to the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the country, known as MONUSCO. The assaults, conducted by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) between Nov. 13 and Nov. 19 in various parts of North Kivu province, claimed the lives of 20 women and an unspecified number of children. Among the incidents was an assault on a Catholic Church-operated health center in Byambwe, where 17 individuals, including expectant mothers seeking maternity care, were killed, and four patient wards were set on fire.
The rebels also engaged in other atrocities such as abductions and the pillaging of medical resources, as reported by MONUSCO. The statement issued by MONUSCO called upon Congolese authorities to initiate thorough and credible investigations to identify and prosecute those responsible for these massacres.
In a separate incident last month in the village of Mukondo, North Kivu province, suspected ADF rebels were reported to have killed 19 civilians in an overnight assault. The ADF had previously claimed responsibility for a brutal attack on a funeral in eastern Congo, resulting in the deaths of over 60 civilians in September. Originating in Uganda, the ADF has operated from the forests of Congo since the late 1990s and is recognized by the Islamic State as an affiliate.
Despite efforts by the Congolese army and Ugandan forces to combat the ADF, the group’s attacks persist. Additionally, parts of North Kivu province are controlled by M23 rebels backed by Rwanda, who made significant territorial gains this year. International mediators, including the United States and Qatar, are actively engaged in peace negotiations to resolve the conflict, with hopes that a peaceful resolution will attract Western investments in the region’s mining industry.
