ADF Rebels Kill Around 20 Civilians in New Attack in Beni, DRC

A brutal attack by suspected ADF rebels on agricultural communities in Bapakombe-Bakondo village, located in Beni territory of North Kivu, has resulted in approximately 20 civilian deaths. The assault occurred overnight between Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, June 1, striking multiple farming entities and claiming the lives of both Pygmy and Bantu residents. The National Association of Victims of Congo (ANVC), based in Beni, issued a strong condemnation of the massacre in the Ngadi neighborhood. The organization is demanding an independent international investigation to fully uncover the details of this tragedy and identify those responsible for the violence. ANVC coordinator Sadiki Shamukobya Espoir stressed the urgent need to end the impunity that allows such atrocities to continue in eastern DRC. In response to the attack, security forces were deployed to the Ngadi neighborhood on Sunday morning to assess the situation. According to the army's spokesperson in the region, pursuit operations against the assailants are underway, with efforts focused on rescuing any potential hostages. The village chief of Bapakombe-Bakondo has temporarily restricted farmers from accessing agricultural areas in Mayangose while the military conducts its operations.

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It is urgent to put an end to impunity which favors the repetition of these violences in the East of the DRC.