The death toll from rebel violence in eastern Congo has gone up, with officials confirming that 89 civilians were killed in two separate attacks this week.
Authorities reported that 71 people lost their lives during a funeral in Ntoyo on Monday, while 18 others were killed in Beni the following day. Both assaults struck communities in North Kivu, a region that has long endured insecurity and armed violence.
Officials say the Allied Democratic Force, or ADF, carried out the attacks. This militia, which has pledged loyalty to the Islamic State group, has stepped up its violence in recent weeks. The ADF often operates along the Congo-Uganda border and is considered one of the region’s most dangerous armed groups.
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The Congolese government said it is supporting “the North Kivu Provincial Government in managing the humanitarian consequences of these terrorist acts.” In its statement, officials added, “It remains resolutely committed to continuing military operations and the hunt for terrorists, which have already resulted in the neutralization of several of them, the destruction of several of their bases, and the release of civilian hostages.”
Security analysts warn that the joint military effort by Congo and Uganda has not stopped the group. Onesphore Sematumba, a Congo expert at Crisis Group International, said the operation has actually pushed the militia to split into smaller, more dangerous units.
“It has caused what I can call the phenomenon of kicking the anthill. This group has scattered in the area with all the anger possible, and they act in murderous groups,” Sematumba observed in an AP report.
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