DRC: Unidentified assailants kidnapp at least 25 children near Ango, Bas-Uele, Feb. 28

Event

Local officials confirmed March 1 that unidentified assailants abducted around 25 children from villages around Ango, Bas-Uele province. The assailants started looting houses and shops in the villages of Namagu, Zamoi, and Banda, before kidnapping the children. Local authorities suspect members of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) of being behind the attack.

A heightened security presence has been deployed in the area to look for the victims. Further militants are possible over the near term.

Context

The LRA is a rebel group that has been operating at the borders between the Central African Republic (CAR), South Sudan, and eastern DRC since 2008. LRA soldiers have been involved in acts of murder, torture, rape, and mutilations, as well as abducting tens of thousands of children to use as sex slaves and child soldiers. As of March 2023, the group is reportedly in decline, with a reported few hundred members. The last LRA abduction in the region reportedly dates back to 2020.

Advice

Exercise a high degree of caution if operating in the affected location and heed authorities' instructions. Maintain a very low profile, restrict nighttime movements, vary routines, and move in guarded convoys. Carry proper identification and travel documents at all times. Maintain contact with diplomatic missions.