ADF attacks kill at least 31 civilians in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo

The attacks occurred in several localities within the Babila-Babombi chieftaincy, Mambasa territory, Ituri province. Jospin Paluku, president of the Mambasa territory civil society, confirmed the death toll to AFP, stating it covered the period between Wednesday, July 22, and Monday, July 27. Local sources corroborated this figure, while a security source reported approximately 50 fatalities.

At least 18 of these individuals were killed on Friday in the mining town of Njiapanda-Bela. The ADF, composed of former Ugandan rebels, is known for its extreme violence against civilians and has conducted repeated massacres in North Kivu and Ituri provinces. Analysts indicate that the ADF has been attempting for several months to impose taxes on communities in the Ituri region, who derive income from cocoa cultivation and mining, in exchange for protection.

Farmers reported paying a $10 tax and receiving tokens as proof of payment, with failure to pay resulting in death. The Ugandan army has been deployed in North Kivu and Ituri since 2021 to combat the ADF alongside the Congolese army in a joint operation called "Shujaa," but the violence persists. One farmer expressed reluctance to report ADF presence to the military due to fears of being labeled a collaborator or being asked for information that c