The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) who are believed to be Islamic State‑linked militants have killed at least 22 civilians in a village in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri Province.
According to an internal U.N. report and local civil society leaders, the latest series of deadly attacks in the region took place yesterday morning when the assailants struck Apakolu village which is about 25 km Northwest of Eringeti in Ituri Province’s in Irumu Territory where they also abducted an unknown number of people.
The Head of the local Human Rights group known by its French acronym CRDH, based in Irumu, Christophe Munyanderu, confirmed the attack and said 25 civilians had been killed, including 15 men whose bodies were found inside a house and seven others along a road.
Munyanderu identified the attackers as members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan armed group active in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that is recognised by Islamic State as an affiliate.
The U.N. report said that the latest attack in Apakolu came two days after ADF fighters attacked the nearby village of Kazaraho, where they clashed with the Government Army and local militia groups and the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in Kazaraho and said it also abducted and killed three Christians.
In a separate incident, local officials said ADF fighters attacked the village of Musengo in Lubero territory, North Kivu province, on Saturday night, burning houses, shops and a Catholic church.
An Administrator of Lubero territory, Colonel Alain Kiwewa, told journalists that two Congolese Government soldiers were killed during the Army’s response, 14 houses were burnt to ashes along with the local health centre and part of the church.
A statements shares today Monday Jan 26th by SITE Intelligence Group, Islamic State claimed responsibility for several attacks in Ituri and Lubero territories since January 23rd todate and the group said it killed 35 people, including two Congolese government soldiers, and set fire to 20 houses and two barracks.
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Army and the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces have been pursuing operations against the ADF, but the group’s raids persist across the region.
According to a tally published last week by the U.N. Human Rights office, the ADF were responsible for killing 138 people in Eastern Congo in November last year making them one of the region’s most lethal armed groups.
Additional Reporting from Associated Press.
