DRC: Five civilians killed by rebels on the 13th day of military offensives

Five civilians were killed in the night of Monday to Tuesday by suspected rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) on the thirteenth day of « major operations » announced by the army against their strongholds in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, we learned from local sources.

« The ADF raided the village of Mayimoya. They killed five people with a machete, including a woman. We regret and condemn these killings, « Donat Kibwana, administrator of the territory of Beni (North Kivu, East), told AFP.

« The situation is not good this morning. The population is scared. She is leaving the village, despite the assurances of our army, « he added.

« The ADF are in a rush on the front. This small group had infiltrated the village of Mayimoya, killing these five civilians to create panic. But immediately alerted, we put them out of harm’s way, « said Major Mak Hazukay, spokesman for the army in North Kivu.

Twenty civilians have been killed in attacks attributed to the ADF since the announcement of the launch of military operations on 30 October.

« Permanently eradicate armed groups »
Residents criticize the authorities for concentrating operations in the Beni area, and not to the north towards the Ugandan border (Mbau, Eringeti …).

In a statement dated November 10, the army says it wants to « permanently eradicate armed terrorist groups active in eastern DRC ».

Around Beni-ville, she said she had taken over « part of Mayangonse, where the ADF orchestrated atrocities and murders against the inhabitants of the city of Beni ».

The army also claims to have arrested the wife of a Tanzanian, « guru and leader » of the ADF.

Historically, Ugandan Muslim rebels of the ADF have been present in the DRC since 1995. They are accused of killing hundreds or even more than a thousand civilians in the Beni region since October 2014.

ISIS has claimed some of their latest attacks since the beginning of the year, but there is no compelling evidence of ADF affiliation to the « Islamic State – Central African Province ».

In its statement, the Congolese army also confirms having « neutralized » a leader of the Rwandan Hutu rebellion of the FDLR, Juvenal Musabina, and four of his bodyguards.