About 20 civilians killed in eastern DR Congo
Around 20 civilians have been killed this week in Beni territory, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed group originally from Uganda that pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2019 and operates in eastern DRC, is thought to be behind the killings.
The attack targeted residents of the town of Oicha, in North Kivu province. The victims were tending crops about 20km west of the town. The mayor of Oicha, Nicolas Kikuku, blamed members of the ADF.
The eastern DRC is a mineral-rich area that has been plagued with militia violence for decades. More than 120 groups are fighting for power, land and valuable mineral resources, while others try to defend their communities.
The armed violence has resulted in a dire humanitarian crisis. The province of North Kivu accounted for nearly 1.7 million internally displaced persons, with another half a million having spilt over into neighbouring South Kivu since October 2023.
In response to the crisis, the United Nations Security Council established a panel of independent experts in 2023 to examine the situation. Last month, the UN released the panel’s final report, which provides a detailed account of the violence against civilians and shows the failure to address the crisis.
A UN armoured vehicle drives along the Beni-Kasindi road in Beni territory, North Kivu province © PHOTO ALEXIS HUGUET / AFP
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