KINSHASA, Congo — At least 40 people have been killed after suspected Islamic militants attacked several villages in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo near the border with Uganda, according to local civil society leaders and regional officials. The latest violence highlights the worsening security crisis in the mineral-rich eastern region, where armed groups continue to terrorize civilians despite ongoing military operations.
The attacks were allegedly carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an extremist group linked to the Islamic State organization. Local sources said the assaults began overnight on Wednesday and continued into Thursday afternoon in villages located in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.
Charité Banza, head of the Ituri civil society group, said 25 people were killed in villages within the Beni territory of North Kivu province, while another 15 people died in neighboring Ituri province. Several homes were reportedly burned, and properties were looted during the coordinated raids.
Kinos Katua, a civil society member living in the affected area, warned that the death toll could increase because several residents remain missing following the attacks. Survivors have reportedly fled into nearby forests and towns in fear of further violence.
The ADF originated in Uganda during the 1990s before expanding its operations into eastern Congo. The group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019 and has since intensified attacks on civilians across the border region. Over the years, the militants have been blamed for massacres, kidnappings, bombings, and the destruction of villages.
Human rights organizations say the armed group has increasingly targeted ordinary civilians instead of military positions. Earlier this week, Amnesty International accused the ADF of committing “war crimes and crimes against humanity” in eastern Congo. The organization documented multiple deadly attacks involving killings, kidnappings, and widespread destruction of civilian property.
Eastern Congo has faced decades of instability fueled by ethnic tensions, competition over natural resources, and the presence of more than 100 armed groups. The ADF remains one of the deadliest militias operating in the region. In July 2025, the group killed at least 66 people in another massacre described by the United Nations as a “bloodbath.”
The Congolese government, supported at times by Ugandan troops and United Nations peacekeepers, has launched repeated military offensives against the ADF. However, analysts say the group continues to adapt by splitting into smaller mobile units that attack remote communities.
The country is also battling violence from the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel movement, which has captured key towns and cities in eastern Congo in recent years. The growing insecurity has displaced millions of people and worsened one of Africa’s largest humanitarian crises.
Residents in the latest attack zones are now calling for stronger protection from the government and international forces as fears grow that more villages could come under assault in the coming days.
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