Rebels affiliated with the Islamic State group carried out an attack in eastern DR Congo, resulting in the tragic deaths of five individuals. The victims included two Ugandan soldiers, two civilians, and one suspected assailant, according to local authorities.
The attack took place in Kasindi, a region in the Beni territory, where two truck drivers, one Kenyan and one Congolese, were fatally shot at a car park. The assailants responsible for this act of violence were linked to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an organization affiliated with the Islamic State.
Authorities in North Kivu province reported that the incident claimed the lives of the two truck drivers and an additional individual who was presumed to be one of the assailants. The circumstances surrounding the attack remain under investigation.
It is worth noting that Kasindi has been a location of previous violence, as a Pentecostal church bombing occurred there in the past. This earlier incident, which occurred last January, resulted in the deaths of approximately 15 people and was attributed to the ADF, with the Islamic State claiming responsibility.
Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) initiated a joint offensive operation in 2021 with the aim of expelling the ADF from their strongholds in the Congolese territory. Despite these efforts, attacks by the rebel group have persisted.
The ADF, originally comprised of mainly Muslim Ugandan rebels, established a presence in the region during the 1990s and has faced accusations of committing large-scale violence against civilians over the years.
The recent attack unfolded at approximately 22:30 (2030 GMT), and local authorities acted swiftly to engage the ADF rebels. Tragically, two Ugandan soldiers lost their lives during the operation, as confirmed by Barthelemy Kambale, a provincial civil servant. The clash resulted in the destruction of three vehicles.
In the aftermath of the attack, emotions ran high, with reports of the body of a deceased ADF assailant being set on fire, as stated by a local civil society representative who chose to remain anonymous.
The eastern DR Congo region, especially the Beni territory, has been plagued by violence for an extended period, with the ADF, known as the Islamic State Central Africa Province by IS, being a significant source of this instability. Just recently, a horrifying incident occurred near Oicha town in Beni territory, where 26 civilians lost their lives in a massacre attributed to the ADF.
The ADF’s reach extends beyond the borders of DR Congo. In Uganda, the group has been linked to the murder of a honeymoon couple and their safari guide in the Queen Elizabeth National Park on October 17, an act for which the Islamic State claimed responsibility.
Despite the presence of peacekeepers, eastern DR Congo remains a complex and volatile region with multiple militia groups and rebel organizations holding sway. Efforts to stabilize the area and protect civilians continue amidst ongoing challenges and threats to security.