At least 10 civilians were killed on Tuesday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during a raid blamed on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group.
The attack targeted the Mangodomu district in the Beni territory, according to local sources.
Emmanuel Kathembo Salamu, the mayor of Mangina, reported that the ADF looted a health center, burned down houses, and reportedly took medicine and food supplies.
The ADF, a Ugandan rebel group originally formed in 1995, has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians in the DRC.
The group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) in 2019.
While the exact death toll remains unconfirmed, Muongozi Kakule Vunyatsi of a local civil society group reported a preliminary count of 10 civilians killed, including a patient from the health center.
Military sources confirmed they engaged the attackers, “neutralizing” four ADF fighters and rescuing four kidnapped girls.
However, residents criticized the slow response of the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), highlighting the lack of vehicles available for timely interventions.
This attack comes despite a joint military operation launched by the Ugandan and Congolese armies in late 2021 aimed at stopping ADF activities.
