At least 31 civilians have been killed in a series of attacks blamed on Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) fighters in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The attacks occurred between Wednesday and Monday across several communities in Mambasa territory, Ituri Province, according to local and security sources.
Jospin Paluku, head of the Mambasa civil society group, told AFP on Monday that 31 people had been killed.
A security source, however, put the death toll at about 50.
The attacks reportedly targeted several areas in the Babila Babombi region, including the mining village of Njiapanda-Bela, where at least 18 people were killed on Friday.
The ADF, an armed group linked to Islamic State and formed by Ugandan rebels, has repeatedly attacked civilians in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.
The mineral-rich region has endured decades of violence involving various armed groups, with the ADF expanding its activities through remote forest areas.
Residents said ADF fighters have been demanding payments from communities involved in cocoa farming and mining.
“A week ago, I paid $10 as a tax demanded by the ADF. We come across them often in the bush,” a farmer in Mambasa told AFP anonymously.
Another resident said people who fail to provide proof of payment risk being killed.
Ugandan troops have operated alongside the Congolese army since 2021 in parts of North Kivu and Ituri to fight the ADF, but the joint military operations have failed to end the violence.
A local farmer said residents were often reluctant to report ADF movements because of fears of reprisals.
Muhindo Mamboro Peresi, a local civil society leader, said more than 190 civilians had been killed since January in parts of Babila Babombi where the armed group had yet to introduce its so-called “protection” levy.
The latest attacks further highlight the persistent insecurity in eastern DR Congo, where armed groups continue to threaten communities despite ongoing military operations.
