At least 10 people were brutally killed in eastern Congo on Wednesday in an attack carried out by Islamic State-linked rebels.
The militants, part of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), targeted the village of Makoko in the Lubero territory of North Kivu province.
This was confirmed by provincial lawmaker David Sikuli, who urgently called for expanded military operations against the group.
“I appeal to the government to authorize joint operations by Congo and Uganda’s armies in all ADF-affected areas,” Sikuli urged.
The village lacked a Congolese army presence, relying instead on local militia fighters, known as Wazalendo, who often collaborate with national forces.
Eastern Congo remains plagued by over 120 armed groups vying for power, land, and mineral resources, some of which are notorious for mass atrocities.
This ongoing violence has displaced nearly 7 million people, leaving a trail of destruction and despair.
The ADF, which originated in Uganda in the late 1990s and allied with ISIS in 2019, is a dominant force in the region.
Its brutal campaigns frequently target civilians, spreading fear and chaos.
Recent attacks have increased near the Ugandan border and expanded toward Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city, and the neighboring Ituri province.
The group has been accused by rights organizations and the United Nations of committing heinous crimes, including mass killings and child abductions.
In December, the ADF killed at least 10 people and abducted several others in another village in North Kivu, highlighting their persistent threat.