At least 52 civilians have been brutally killed by Islamic State-linked rebels in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to local authorities and the United Nations.
The attacks, which took place between August 9 and 16, were carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) — a militant group backed by the Islamic State and notorious for violent assaults on civilians.
According to Macaire Sivikunula, a local chief in the Bapere sector of Lubero, the rebels arrived in villages during the night and:
Woke up residents
Tied them with ropes
Killed them using machetes and hoes
Many victims were women and children, some of whom were slaughtered in their homes, while several houses were set ablaze.
One of the worst-hit villages was Melia, where 30 people were killed in a single attack, said Alain Kiwewe, a military administrator in Lubero.
“When they arrived, they first woke the residents, gathered them in one place, tied them up, and then began to massacre them,” Sivikunula told Reuters.
The Congolese army says the attacks were an act of revenge after the ADF suffered a series of defeats in recent military operations conducted by Congolese and Ugandan forces.
“The rebels are lashing out at civilians as punishment for helping the army and resisting their control,” said Lieutenant Elongo Kyondwa Marc, army spokesperson.
The UN peacekeeping mission in DRC (MONUSCO) strongly condemned the attacks, confirming the death toll of at least 52 people, including eight women and two children. However, they warned the number could rise as searches continue in remote villages.
“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the killings of civilians by the ADF,” said a MONUSCO spokesperson.
The Allied Democratic Forces began as a Ugandan rebel group but have operated in eastern Congo for years.
They are one of the deadliest militant groups in the region and have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.
Eastern Congo is home to dozens of armed groups fighting over land, power, and access to mineral-rich resources. Civilians are often caught in the crossfire or deliberately targeted in attacks.
Just last month, ADF rebels attacked a church, killing 38 people in another deadly incident.
The Congolese and Ugandan militaries have stepped up joint operations against the ADF in recent months. However, security experts say military efforts alone are not enough and are urging for:
Greater protection of civilians
More humanitarian aid Efforts to resolve root causes of conflict, including poverty and displacement
This latest massacre adds to the growing humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo, where thousands have been killed and millions displaced by ongoing conflict.
