In a horrific attack on Wednesday, suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants killed at least five civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The attack, which took place in the Beni territory of North Kivu province, has left residents fearing for their safety.
Local sources confirmed seeing the bodies of five people who had been decapitated.
The attack targeted bikers who were traveling to a nearby market, according to Leo Siviwe, the head of the administrative area where the bodies were found.
This is not the first time the ADF has inflicted violence on the region.
The rebel group, with ties to the Islamic State group, has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians in eastern DRC over the past three decades.
Another attack, reported by Kinos Katuo, a civil society leader in Mamove district, claimed the lives of seven people – four men and three women – in the village of Kazahoro.
Katuo further stated that the attackers burned houses and motorcycles.
Despite ongoing joint military operations between the Congolese and Ugandan armies since late 2021, the ADF continues to carry out deadly attacks on civilians.
The lack of progress in stopping these atrocities has led to calls for increased military presence in the region.
Katuo expressed the growing frustration of residents, stating, “We need a reinforcement of military personnel… the population is being sacrificed.”
