Lubero, DRC – Islamic State-affiliated rebels have killed 89 civilians in a series of attacks across eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Lubero territory, according to the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUSCO).
The deadly assaults took place between November 13 and November 19 in North Kivu province, where fighters from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) struck several localities. Among the victims were at least 20 women and an undisclosed number of children.
In one particularly brutal attack, the rebels targeted a Catholic Church-operated health centre in Byambwe. At least 17 people, including women seeking maternity care, were killed, and four hospital wards were set ablaze. The rebels also abducted civilians and looted medical supplies from the facility.
MONUSCO has called for urgent action from Congolese authorities to conduct independent investigations and bring those responsible for the massacres to justice.
This latest violence is part of an ongoing pattern of ADF attacks in the region. The ADF, originally formed as a rebel force in Uganda, has been operating in the forests of Congo since the late 1990s and is recognized by ISIS as an affiliate. Despite operations by the Congolese and Ugandan armies to dismantle the group, the ADF’s attacks persist.
The violence in North Kivu comes as the region is also grappling with the presence of M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda. International efforts, including mediation by the United States and Qatar, are focused on resolving the ongoing conflict in the area.
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