At least 89 civilians – including 20 women and numerous children have been killed in a string of savage attacks by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO reported Friday.
The bloodshed unfolded from November 13 to 19 in Lubero territory, North Kivu province, where rebels torched villages, abducted residents, and looted homes.
Maternity Ward Massacre in Byambwe
One assault stood out for its cruelty: ADF fighters stormed a Catholic-run health center in Byambwe, gunning down 17 patients. Among the dead were women in active labor. The attackers then set four patient wards ablaze and stripped the facility of medical supplies before vanishing into the forest.
MONUSCO Demands Justice
The UN mission condemned the “grave and relentless atrocities” and pressed Congolese authorities for swift, independent probes. “Those responsible must face justice without delay,” MONUSCO said in a statement.
The attacks fit a deadly rhythm in the region:
- October: 19 villagers murdered in Mukondo overnight raid
- September: 60+ slaughtered at a funeral, with ADF claiming credit
Who Are the ADF?
Born as a Ugandan insurgency in the 1990s, the ADF fled to DRC’s dense jungles and now pledges allegiance to ISIS. Despite raids by Congolese and Ugandan troops, the group estimated at 1,500 fighters keeps launching hit-and-run attacks on civilians.
North Kivu remains a powder keg, with M23 rebels controlling swathes of territory alongside ADF threats. U.S. and Qatari envoys are mediating ceasefires, but peace feels distant in this mineral-rich war zone.
As families bury their dead, the cycle of terror shows no sign of breaking leaving millions in DRC’s east trapped between militias and despair.
