ADF Massacre in North Kivu, DRC
The night of Wednesday 12 to Thursday 13 June will remain etched in memories, unfortunately not for good reasons, in the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Yet another brutal massacre, attributed to the rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), has plunged the population of Lubero into mourning. According to alarming figures reported by the NGO La Voix des Sans Voix pour les droits de l’Homme (VSV), forty-two people were savagely killed during this attack. Some of the victims were found tied up, others decapitated, testifying to the extreme cruelty of these barbaric acts.
This tragedy is unfortunately part of a broader context of persistent violence in eastern DRC, perpetrated by terrorist groups such as the ADF. Local civil society estimates that around one hundred and fifty people have been killed by these rebels since the beginning of June, an unsustainable figure that only underlines the urgency of resolute action to protect innocent civilians.
The VSV strongly condemned these recurring massacres and called for a strong mobilization of the international community to support the DRC in its fight against terrorism. It is undeniable that the Congolese government must assume its responsibilities to restore the authority of the State throughout the territory, but it is equally crucial that the international community provide concrete support to this wounded country in its quest for peace and security.
Despite the recent establishment of a state of siege and the joint operations of the Congolese and Ugandan armed forces, the province of North Kivu, in particular the territory of Beni, continues to suffer deadly attacks by the ADF. At least eighty-two people have lost their lives in these recent acts of violence, confirming the need for urgent and coordinated action to protect vulnerable civilian populations.
The Government of the Republic also condemned the attacks perpetrated by the ADF and deplored the human losses and material damage caused during the rebel incursion into the localities of Masala, Mahihi and Keme. The tragic figures reported indicate forty-one people killed and several others injured, leaving behind a grim toll of violence and destruction.
Despite efforts to contain the activities of the ADF, these terrorists manage to sow terror and death in their wake, crossing borders to extend their sinister grip. Regional and international cooperation is more necessary than ever to counter this deadly threat and protect innocent civilian populations who are its first victims..
Faced with this spiral of violence and terror, it is imperative that all stakeholders join forces to guarantee the security and protection of civilians in areas affected by ADF atrocities. The fight against terrorism can only be effective if it is carried out in a coordinated and resolute manner, with a strong commitment from the international community alongside the DRC.
In these dark times, where innocence is trampled and barbarism reigns supreme, it is more necessary than ever to make the voice of justice and human dignity heard. The victims of these massacres deserve justice, the survivors deserve protection, and the Congolese population as a whole deserves a future of peace and prosperity, far from the horrors of violence and terrorism. The international community has a moral and political duty to stand alongside the DRC in this fight for the survival and dignity of all its citizens.