Islamic State-linked rebels kill at least 20 in Congo village

Military administrator Col. Alain Kiwewa Mitela said rebels accused of belonging to the Allied Democratic Forces attacked the village of Mambimbi-Isigo in Lubero territory early on Saturday, killing at least 20 people and forcing many residents to flee. The assault, officials and civil society leaders said, adds to a surge of violence that has destabilized communities across North Kivu.

Civil society activists reported that the fighters first raided several farmers' fields before turning on civilians, using knives and firearms. Kinos Kitwa, head of civil society in Bapere, cautioned that the death toll is provisional: "This toll is still provisional because many civilians are missing," he said, underscoring the likelihood that the number of fatalities could rise as searches continue and families report missing relatives. Col. Kiwewa Mitela said the attack has caused a mass displacement of residents, aggravating an already dire humanitarian situation.

The Allied Democratic Forces is a long-standing rebel group in eastern Congo that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2019. It operates in the borderlands with Uganda and has repeatedly targeted civilians, according to local officials and civic groups. The North Kivu Provincial Civil Society Coordination reports that at least 62 civilians have been killed in Beni and Lubero territories since the start of the year, illustrating a sharp uptick in deadly incidents across a compact period.

The Mambimbi-Isigo assault follows a string of high-profile attacks attributed to the same network. In a separate incident in Lubero territory, fighters attacked a hospital in Byambwe, killing at least 17 people; Col. Kiwewa said victims included 11 women and six men and described brutal killings of breastfeeding women. Earlier large-scale episodes cited by the U.N. and local monitors include multi-site attacks that killed dozens in August and an assault on a church in Ituri province that left nearly 40 dead, highlighting a pattern of increasingly lethal strikes against civilians and public facilities.

The human and economic implications extend beyond immediate loss of life. Repeated raids on farming areas and the displacement of households threaten agricultural production ahead of planting and harvest cycles, disrupt local markets, and raise food insecurity risks for communities already dependent on subsistence agriculture. Displacement also increases demand for humanitarian assistance and places additional strain on already stretched provincial and national budgets, potentially prompting fresh appeals to international donors and the U.N. to bolster relief and protection operations.

Security responses have come under criticism from local leaders who point to a small Congolese army presence in the affected area and limited capacity to prevent or repel such attacks. The U.N. peacekeeping chief, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, began an official visit to eastern Congo this week, signaling heightened international attention to the deteriorating security environment in Beni and Lubero. Analysts say coherent political and military strategies, combined with accelerated humanitarian support, will be necessary to stabilize the region and protect civilians.

There was no immediate comment from the ADF. Authorities and civil society groups warned that casualty and displacement figures remain provisional and said they expect updated counts as recovery operations proceed and information trickles in from isolated communities.