At least 25 civilians were killed in a brutal attack carried out by militants linked to the Islamic State (IS) in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), according to a local human rights organization. The assault, attributed to the Allied Democratic Force (ADF), underscores the persistent insecurity gripping eastern Congo and highlights the ongoing challenges faced by regional and international efforts to protect civilians amid multiple overlapping conflicts.

The Convention for the Respect of Human Rights (CRDH), a civil society organization monitoring violence in the region, reported that ADF fighters attacked the village of Apakulu in Ituri province early on the morning of January 25. According to the group, militants targeted civilians in their homes and along nearby roads, leaving at least 25 people dead over a two-day period.

CRDH stated that 15 men were killed when attackers set fire to a house in which they had been trapped. Seven other civilians were reportedly killed along a road as they attempted to flee the violence. In addition to the January 25 attack, the group said three people were killed the previous day in nearby communities, including Ahombo and Mangwalo, suggesting a coordinated campaign of violence across multiple villages.

Christophe Munyanderu, coordinator of CRDH, described the incident as a massacre and warned that armed groups continue to exploit the absence of security forces in remote rural areas. He urged the Congolese government to reinforce troop deployments in vulnerable communities to prevent further civilian deaths.

“This incursion by the ADF is a true massacre,” Munyanderu said, emphasizing that the attackers took advantage of gaps in security coverage. His comments reflect a broader concern shared by humanitarian organizations and local leaders, who have repeatedly warned that insufficient state presence allows armed groups to operate with near impunity.

The Allied Democratic Force has long been one of the most violent militant organizations operating in eastern Congo. Originally founded in the 1990s as a Ugandan Islamist rebel group opposed to the government in Kampala, the ADF later shifted much of its operations into Congolese territory. In 2019, the group pledged allegiance to Islamic State, further elevating international concern about its activities and ideological orientation.

Since aligning itself with IS, the ADF has been accused of carrying out mass killings, kidnappings, and bombings targeting civilians. The group’s operations have been particularly concentrated in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, regions already destabilized by decades of conflict involving dozens of armed factions competing for territory, resources, and political influence.

The latest killings in Ituri follow a series of deadly attacks attributed to the ADF in recent years. In September last year, at least 89 people were reportedly killed in a wave of overnight assaults in North Kivu province. Congolese officials said that militants attacked multiple locations, including a funeral gathering in Ntoyo village, where dozens of mourners were killed. Survivors of other attacks in the same period described widespread destruction of homes and the displacement of entire communities.

The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has also documented repeated mass killings linked to the ADF. In October, the mission reported that 52 people were killed in coordinated assaults across the Beni and Lubero territories. These attacks reportedly involved abductions, looting, and the burning of villages, further exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation.

Beyond Congo’s borders, the ADF has demonstrated its capacity to strike regionally. In June 2023, militants crossed into neighboring Uganda and attacked Lhubiriha Secondary School, where dormitories were set ablaze. At least 25 people, many of them students, were killed in the incident, prompting renewed calls for stronger cross-border security cooperation.

Eastern DR Congo remains one of the most unstable regions in Africa, with violence driven by a complex mix of local grievances, regional rivalries, and competition over mineral resources. The situation has worsened in recent months due to renewed fighting between government forces and the M23 rebel movement in North Kivu province. Clashes involving M23 escalated again in January 2025, reigniting a conflict that has its roots in earlier wars dating back more than two decades.

Congolese authorities have warned that the resurgence of M23 has stretched the country’s security forces thin, creating opportunities for other armed groups, including the ADF, to expand their activities. Analysts note that while the ADF operates independently from M23, instability in one area often has ripple effects elsewhere, weakening overall security and governance.

In response to the ADF threat, Uganda and DR Congo launched a joint military campaign known as Operation Shujaa in November 2021. The operation aims to dismantle ADF strongholds in North Kivu and Ituri provinces through coordinated ground and air operations. While Congolese and Ugandan officials say the campaign has killed or captured numerous militants and disrupted supply networks, attacks on civilians have continued.

Human rights organizations have cautioned that military operations alone are unlikely to bring lasting peace without parallel efforts to address governance failures, poverty, and the lack of basic services in conflict-affected areas. Many rural communities in eastern Congo remain isolated, with limited access to roads, communications, healthcare, or education, making them particularly vulnerable to armed groups.

The humanitarian toll of the violence is immense. According to the United Nations, millions of people have been displaced internally across eastern DR Congo, with many forced to flee multiple times as fighting shifts from one area to another. Aid agencies warn that ongoing insecurity hampers their ability to deliver food, medical care, and protection to those most in need.

The latest attack in Ituri has renewed calls for stronger protection of civilians and greater international engagement. Local activists argue that without sustained security presence and accountability for perpetrators, communities will continue to suffer cycles of violence and displacement.

As DR Congo grapples with multiple armed threats and a fragile security environment, the killings in Apakulu serve as a stark reminder of the human cost of prolonged conflict. For residents of eastern Congo, peace remains elusive, and the promise of safety and stability continues to be overshadowed by the persistent threat of militant violence.

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Source: Weekly Blitz :: Writings