At least 20 people have died in an attack perpetrated in the last few hours in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (AFD). As reported by the Voaswahili medium, ADF have attacked civilians with machetes and have set fire to houses, as confirmed by the president of the local organization of activists, Odette Zawadi. Zawadi has added that 20 dead bodies have been recovered and the death toll might rise.
The attack occurred on Sunday night in Kikura village in Likasi city and has been attributed to an ADF militiaman. The United Nations indicated in late January that the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia — which swore allegiance to the Islamic State jihadist group — was behind the execution of more than 1,200 civilians in 2021, amid a rebound in its operations in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Several armed groups control parts of eastern DRC despite the formal end of the 1998-2003 war. The conflict caused millions of deaths, most victims of hunger and disease.
