Islamic State-linked rebels kill at least 10 people in eastern Congo

GOMA, Congo (AP) — At least 10 people were killed in eastern Congo by extremist rebels linked to the Islamic State group, a local official said Wednesday.

The rebels with the Allied Democratic Forces, an IS affiliate in the region, attacked the village of Makoko in the Lubero territory of the North Kivu province on Wednesday, a provincial member of parliament, David Sikuli, told The Associated Press.

“I call on the Congolese government to allow joint operations by Congo and Uganda’s army to be expanded in all areas where the ADF are located,” Sikuli said.

There were no Congolese soldiers in the village, only local fighters known as Wazalendo, who often fight alongside Congolese security forces, he added.

Eastern Congo has struggled with armed violence for decades as more than 120 groups fight for power, land and valuable mineral resources, while others try to defend their communities. Some armed groups have been accused of mass killings.

The violence has caused nearly 7 million people to flee their homes.

It’s unclear how many ADF fighters are present in Congo but they are a significant presence in the region and regularly attack civilians. The group originated in the late 1990s in neighboring Uganda and became affiliated with ISIS in 2019. Muslims make up about 10% of the Congolese population, most of them in the east.

In recent years, attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces have intensified near Congo’s border with Uganda and spread towards Goma, eastern Congo’s main city, as well as the neighboring Ituri province. Rights groups and the United Nations have accused the ADF of killing hundreds of people and abducting even more, including a significant number of children.

In December, the ADF killed at least 10 people and abducted several more in another village in North Kivu.

By JUSTIN KABUMBA
Associated Press