At Least 31 Civilians Killed In Fresh ADF Attacks In Eastern DR Congo

At least 31 civilians have been killed in a series of attacks blamed on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in northeastern DR Congo's Ituri province. At least 18 people were reportedly killed in one attack in the mining village of Njiapanda-Bela. The violence comes amid accusations that the ADF is extorting farmers and miners through forced "protection" payments. More than 190 civilians have reportedly been killed in the Babila Babombi area since January 2026.

At Least 31 Civilians Killed In Fresh ADF Attacks In Eastern DR Congo
At least 31 civilians have been killed in a series of attacks blamed on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), local and security sources said.
The attacks reportedly took place over less than one week in Mambasa territory, in Ituri province, one of the areas of eastern DR Congo that has endured decades of armed conflict.
Local civil society leaders said at least 31 people were killed between Wednesday and Monday. A security source, however, put the death toll at about 50, suggesting that the full scale of the violence may not yet be known.

AT LEAST 18 PEOPLE KILLED IN ONE DAY

One of the deadliest incidents occurred on Friday in Njiapanda-Bela, a mining community in the Babila Babombi area of Mambasa territory.
Local sources said at least 18 people were killed in the attack, adding to the growing number of civilian casualties in the region.
The attacks have increased fears among residents who depend on farming, mining and other local economic activities for their livelihoods.

ADF ACCUSED OF TARGETING VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES

The Allied Democratic Forces has been accused of carrying out repeated attacks against civilians in Ituri and neighbouring North Kivu province.
The armed group has been linked to massacres, kidnappings and other acts of extreme violence.
Analysts say the group has also been attempting to raise money from communities by imposing so-called "protection" payments on farmers and miners.
According to local accounts, residents who pay are reportedly given tokens as proof of payment. Those who fail to produce the required token risk being attacked.
A farmer in Mambasa told AFP that he had recently paid $10 to the group as a demanded tax.
"We come across them often in the bush," he said, describing the fear experienced by residents living in areas where armed groups operate.

MORE THAN 190 CIVILIANS KILLED SINCE JANUARY

The latest attacks come amid a wider pattern of violence in Babila Babombi.
Local civil society leader Muhindo Mamboro Peresi said more than 190 civilians have been killed in the area since January 2026.
He said many of the attacks occurred in communities where the ADF had not yet introduced its so-called protection levy.
The figures underline the scale of the security crisis facing civilians in eastern DR Congo, where armed groups have operated for decades.

UGANDA SUPPORTS MILITARY OPERATIONS AGAINST ADF

Uganda has deployed troops to parts of North Kivu and Ituri since 2021 to support the Congolese army in its fight against the ADF.
The joint military operations were launched in an effort to weaken the armed group and prevent it from using remote areas along the border between the two countries as bases for attacks.
Despite the military campaign, the ADF has continued to carry out deadly attacks against civilians.
The persistence of the violence has raised questions about the effectiveness of military operations in protecting communities scattered across vast and difficult-to-access areas.

EASTERN DR CONGO'S DECADES-LONG CONFLICT

Ituri and North Kivu are among the most unstable regions in DR Congo.
The areas are rich in minerals and other natural resources, but competition over land, resources and political influence has contributed to decades of armed conflict.
Numerous armed groups operate in the region, making it difficult for government forces to establish lasting security.
For ordinary residents, the conflict has resulted in repeated displacement, loss of livelihoods and widespread fear.
Farmers and miners are particularly vulnerable because many are forced to travel through remote areas where armed groups operate.

THE HUMAN COST

The latest killings highlight the continuing human cost of the conflict in eastern DR Congo.
Families have lost relatives, communities have been disrupted and many residents remain trapped between the need to earn a living and the danger posed by armed groups.
The reports of forced payments also suggest that the ADF is seeking to establish control over local communities and economic activities, further complicating efforts to restore stability.
As the Congolese and Ugandan armies continue their campaign against the ADF, civilians in Ituri and North Kivu remain at the centre of the crisis.
The latest attacks demonstrate that despite years of military operations, the threat posed by armed groups remains severe, with communities continuing to face the risk of sudden and deadly violence.