At least 12 people have been killed in a series of fresh attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), local sources reported to AFP on Wednesday. The recent raids follow a string of deadly assaults by the group over the Christmas period, which left 21 dead in North Kivu province.
The latest attacks, which took place overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, targeted two villages within North Kivu province. Local authorities confirmed that at least eight people were killed in the village of Bilendu, near Manguredjipa. In the neighboring village of Mangoya, at least four people were also killed, and several homes were set ablaze.
The ADF, a rebel group originating from Uganda, has been active in the DRC’s volatile northeast for decades, where it has been responsible for thousands of civilian deaths. Despite a joint military operation launched by Uganda and the DRC in late 2021 to combat the group, the ADF has continued its attacks. The offensive, named “Shujaa,” has yet to put an end to the group’s insurgency, which remains a significant security threat in the region.
As the military operation pushes the rebels into more remote areas, local communities remain vulnerable to the group’s violent tactics, often left without adequate protection from the ongoing conflict.