BENI, Democratic Republic of Congo – The death toll from two violent attacks in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has risen to at least 18, according to local sources who spoke to AFP on Sunday.
The attacks, which occurred on Saturday in the Beni territory of the troubled North Kivu province, have been attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militant group affiliated with the Islamic State.
Kinos Katua, a civil society leader in the region, confirmed that the death toll had been revised upward from 10 to 18 people.
“Fourteen people are still missing, Katua added, noting that the attacks also resulted in the destruction of four houses and the burning of two motorcycles.
Another local leader, Charles Endukado, indicated that the number of those killed could be even higher, with estimates suggesting that “more than 18” people lost their lives.
“No one can go to recover the bodies that are still lying on the ground, Endukado lamented, reflecting the dangerous and volatile situation on the ground.
The ADF, originally a Ugandan rebel group, has been active in eastern DRC for over three decades, leaving a trail of violence that has claimed the lives of thousands of civilians.
In 2019, the group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, which now portrays the ADF as its Central African branch.
The latest attacks are part of a series of violent incidents linked to the ADF.
Just last month, the group was blamed for an attack that killed 20 people in the region.
Local authorities in Beni revealed in mid-June that approximately 150 people had been killed in similar attacks attributed to the ADF since the beginning of the year.
Despite ongoing joint military operations by Congolese and Ugandan forces against the ADF in North Kivu and the neighboring province of Ituri, these deadly assaults on civilians have continued unabated.
The persistent violence underscores the ongoing instability in eastern DRC, where civilians remain vulnerable to attacks from various armed groups operating in the region.
Source: VOA
