Lubero : an ADF attack leaves at least 15 dead, civil society deplores the lack of intervention by the armed forces

SOS Médias Burundi

Goma, February 9, 2026 – A new raid attributed to fighters from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) struck the Bapere sector in the Lubero territory of North Kivu province, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. According to local sources, at least fifteen civilians were killed overnight from Friday to Saturday in the village of Mambimbi-Isigo.

According to residents contacted on site, the attack began around 10 p.m. Families still engaged in their evening activities were surprised by the arrival of the assailants. Several people were shot dead and homes were burned, causing widespread panic.

Survivors describe a hasty evasion into the darkness, unable to immediately check on their loved ones or ascertain the full extent of the massacre.

Criticism of the FARDC

The local civil society accuses the defense and security forces of a delayed response, despite the presence of military positions and self-defense groups in the area. Its leaders assert that alerts about suspicious movements had been issued before the attack, but that a sufficient preventative response was not provided.

For them, this tragedy once again highlights the persistent vulnerability of civilian populations to incursions by armed groups.

Mass displacement

Following the raid, many residents left their villages to seek refuge in areas considered safer. These new displacements exacerbate an already fragile humanitarian situation in the Lubero territory.

A persistent threat

Violence attributed to the ADF remains recurrent in several areas of North Kivu and Ituri. At the end of January, 25 civilians were killed in the Irumu territory of Ituri province in an attack also attributed to this armed group. Despite ongoing military operations, the ADF continues to be blamed for massacres of civilians, kidnappings, and the destruction of infrastructure.

Civil society organizations are calling on the authorities to strengthen the protection of residents and to implement rapid interventions to prevent further tragedies.

The ADF, an armed group of Ugandan origin that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, is on the list of terrorist organizations established by the United States.