08 Feb 2020 | 09:59 AM UTC
DRC: Suspected ADF attack kills eight near Mangina (North Kivu province) February 7
Suspected ADF militants kill eight civilians near Mangina (North Kivu province) on February 7; similar attacks likely over the near term
Event
Suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants killed eight civilians in an attack near Mangina (North Kivu province) on Friday, February 7. As a result, several residents left Mangina to find shelter in the nearby city of Beni (North Kivu).
Similar ADF attacks are to be expected in North Kivu province over the near term.
Context
The government's limited presence in the DRC's eastern provinces, as well as the presence of numerous armed groups and local self-defense militias, has led to continued insecurity in the area.
The ADF is a Ugandan Islamist militant group that has been active in North Kivu province since the late 1990s. There has been local and international speculation regarding potential links between ADF rebels and Islamic State (IS) militants. According to local civil society activists, more than 200 civilians have been killed in almost daily attacks suspected to have been carried out by ADF militants in North Kivu since early November, when security operations began to combat ADF fighters.
Advice
Individuals in North Kivu province are advised to remain vigilant for militant activity, monitor developments to the situation, and adhere to all instructions issued by local authorities and their home governments.
