The death toll has reached 41 following an assault on Friday by suspected Islamist insurgents on villages in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, revealed a spokesperson from the Congolese army, bringing the total fatalities in the region to over 80 since Tuesday.
The Friday evening onslaught on the villages of Masala, Mapasana, and Mahini was orchestrated by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), stated lieutenant-colonel Mak Hazukay, a spokesperson in North Kivu province. Originating from Uganda and now entrenched in eastern Congo, the ADF has sworn allegiance to Islamic State and frequently launches attacks in the area.
Over the preceding week, the ADF has been associated with numerous offensives, including one in Masawu resulting in 17 casualties. On Thursday, five bodies were discovered in Kabweli and Mamulese, and six more were retrieved from a river in Mununze. On Friday, 13 bodies were found in Makobu, culminating in a total of 82 deaths since Tuesday.
During these attacks, armed assailants employed firearms and machetes against residents in Beni territory, reported local official Fabien Kakule. Vusindi Nick Junior, a civil society leader, conveyed that a health center was torched, with nine individuals sustaining injuries in addition to the 41 fatalities.
EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Nabila Massrali stressed the critical need for a political resolution, citing the exploitation of chaos by terrorist factions to extend their reach. Julien Paluku, a former governor of North Kivu, urged the national government to address the insecurity in the east, underscoring the sentiment of abandonment among the populace. As of now, the government has not issued any statements regarding Friday’s assaults.