Islamic State group-affiliated rebels kill at least 22 in Congo's eastern region

FILE - Residents flee fighting between M23 rebels and Congolese forces near Kibumba, some 20 kms ( 12 miles) North of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, on Oct. 28, 2022. The United Nations is warning that violence in eastern Congo has escalated significantly. A U.N. spokesperson says more than 600 people have been killed and 345,000 displaced in Ituri province alone so far this year. (AP Photo/Justin Kabumba, File)

ITURI, Congo — A rebel group affiliated with the Islamic State group in Congo launched a series of attacks on remote communities near the Uganda border over the past two days, killing at least 22 people and abducting at least 10 others, civil society groups said Wednesday.

The attacks were carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) across eight locations in the Mambasa territory in the country’s eastern Ituri province, according to two civil society and human rights monitoring groups.

“The death toll remains provisional. In addition to the 22 civilians killed, the perpetrators abducted other individuals, and motorcycles and homes were set on fire,” said Marie-Noelle Anatobe, coordinator of the Civil Society of Congo in Mambasa territory.

The attacks happened in nearly inaccessible locations near the border.

Local authorities said despite the attacks, the military is working to stem the activities of the group. “Despite the challenges, constant efforts and actions are being taken to find a solution,” Col. Maxime Tshishimbi, the deputy administrator of Mambasa, told The Associated Press.

The attacks also threaten the efforts to contain the deadly Ebola outbreak in Ituri, the hotspot of the deadliest outbreak in Congo’s history, which has infected more than 11,000 people and killed more than 5,000 people so far.

The ADF grew out of Uganda and was pushed to the border region with Congo, where it has operated for years, targeting civilians. It pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group in 2019.

Both the Ugandan and Congolese armies have been jointly attacking the ADF, but have struggled to make headway against the group.

Local residents often say that the military is absent during the attacks. Last year, the group killed dozens of people in Irumu territory in Ituri province in attacks that the United Nations described as a “bloodbath.”

“This morning, we were left only to count the dead. It is truly deplorable,” said Rams Malikidogo, a coordinator of the Association for the Protection and Defense of Vulnerable Children and Women in Mambasa territory.

Jean-yves Kamale And Justin Kabumba, The Associated Press