Dozens killed in wave of attacks by suspected rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo

At least 45 civilians were killed in a series of attacks in the crisis-ridden province of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo last week.

Decades of fighting between armed groups over lucrative gold and mineral deposits have devastated the region and forced millions of people to flee their homes.

The Congolese government has not yet confirmed who is responsible for this week’s killings, but several local sources believe the blame lies with the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which are linked to the Islamic State.

The attackers targeted several villages in the region around the city of Beni, where many people have now fled.

Mamove district was reportedly the worst affected, with numerous houses set on fire and motorcycles stolen there too.

“The death toll could rise as the search continues and the population flees and heads towards supposedly safe areas,” Leon Siviwe, an administrative chief in Beni, told AFP news agency on Wednesday.

The terrorist militia’s alliance with the Islamic State is said to have begun about six years ago, but analysts consider the ties to be fragile.

An online post by the Islamic State said one of this week’s attacks in North Kivu was directed against Christians.

In 2021, joint military operations by Ugandan and Congolese forces began against ADF rebels, but they failed to stop attacks on civilians.

Another rebel group, the M23, has recently resumed its deadly campaign in the east of the Democratic Republic, capturing territory from government forces.

Rwanda is widely believed to support the M23 rebels, but Kigali vehemently denies this.