The village of Kilya, located in the Ruwenzori sector of the Beni territory, in North Kivu, was recently the scene of a macabre discovery. Human bones, mute witnesses to past horrors, have been unearthed by farmers, shedding harsh light on the persistent violence plaguing the region. According to initial investigations, these remains belong to people killed by suspected ADF fighters, a Ugandan rebel group active in the region for several years.
Testimonies collected on site report the discovery of 14 human bones in Ntoma-Kifrere, as well as 4 others in Mulwa, two villages formerly considered ADF strongholds. These macabre relics bear the marks of the terror inflicted on local populations: certain skulls were found near tied up bodies, suggesting barbaric and deliberate killings.
This macabre news echoes similar discoveries that have occurred in the past in the same region. Indeed, the Ruwenzori sector has been the scene of multiple incursions and attacks attributed to the ADF over the years. Human bones had already been exhumed in the village of Ntoma in the past, attesting to the ongoing violence plaguing the region.
The sector head of Ruwenzori, Japhet Mapati, confirms that these bones could well be those of victims of past ADF attacks, highlighting the recurrence of violence perpetrated by this rebel group in the region. Since 2020, the civilians of Ruwenzori have been regularly targeted by attackers, including the villages of Loselose, Ntoma and Halungupa which have paid a heavy price for this insidious violence.
This discovery highlights the urgency of concerted action to put an end to the chronic insecurity plaguing the Beni region in North Kivu. Local populations, already affected by years of conflict and violence, deserve to live in peace and security, far from the torment inflicted by unscrupulous armed groups.
While waiting for justice to be served to the victims and for those responsible for these unspeakable acts to answer for their crimes, the population of Kilya, Ruwenzori and all of North Kivu continues to live in fear and uncertainty, hoping for better days. and a future free of the violence and terror that darken their daily lives.