Ituri and North Kivu: at least 18 civilians killed since Sunday

Since last Sunday, assailants assimilated to the ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) have conducted attacks in various localities in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The report of the local civil society suggests18 people killed, houses and property burned. Several residents fled their households, fearing for their safety as the right groups urge the Congolese army to redouble its efforts to secure the population. INFO SOS Médias Burundi

According to local sources, the victims of the attacks are from different villages.

They say the victims are from the municipality
Oicha and Mamove, in the agglomerations of Akwekwe, Moliso-Makakwa and Kalalangwe as well as the Beni-Mbau sector.

“[…] five civilians were killed in Akwekwe, two in Moliso-Makakwa, nine others in Kalalangwe, on the border between North Kivu and Ituri”, detailed Kinos Katuo, representative of civil society in Mamove adding “the inhabitants emptied the premises” believing that the presence of the attackers is a danger for the residents of the villages of Masenze, Mambume, Tapis-Rouge and KaRéseau.

According to civil society, several fighters are present in the localities of Kasoko, Mambume and Mutweyi. The groups call on the FARDC (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo) to hunt them down.

Two other victims were killed in the village of Lolwa in the Babila-Bakwanza chiefdom.
It is about 60 kilometers from Mambasa in Ituri province, according to our sources.

It was during the night of this Monday that the incident occured. Matadi Jean-Baptiste Muyapandi, police administrator of the territory of Mambasa confirms the information.
He indicates that two other people were killed,
houses and a vehicle were burned.

The region remains immersed in insecurity despite the joint operations of the Congolese and Ugandan armies and the ongoing state of siege since May 2021.