The United Nations has condemned the killing of at least 52 civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo this month by ISIL-linked rebels. The attacks, carried out by the Uganda-based Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), took place between 9 and 16 August in the Beni and Lubero territories of North Kivu province.
The UN mission in Congo, MONUSCO, said the violence was accompanied by kidnappings, looting, and destruction of property, and warned that the death toll could still rise. The region is already facing a precarious humanitarian situation, and the UN has pledged to strengthen support to Congolese authorities to protect civilians.
The ADF, formed in the 1990s by former Ugandan rebels, moved its operations to the DRC in 2002 after clashes with Ugandan forces. The group pledged allegiance to ISIL in 2019 and has since been responsible for thousands of deaths and widespread violence in the country’s northeast.
The renewed attacks come amid ongoing tensions between the DRC army and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, who continue to dispute a US-mediated ceasefire deal. Both sides had been expected to sign a permanent peace agreement by 18 August, but no announcement has been made.
MONUSCO reiterated the UN Secretary-General’s call for all foreign armed groups in the DRC to lay down their arms and return to their countries of origin.