On the night of July 8, members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) brutally attacked the village of Katerrain in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), killing at least five people with machetes and injuring many others. This marks the first reported ADF assault in this rural region in several months. Local civil society group Nouvel Espoir condemned the violence and emphasized the urgent need for ongoing military operations to prevent further atrocities. According to a survivor’s account, the attackers disguised themselves as local militia (Wazalendo), infiltrated the village around 9 p.m., and carried out the massacre after emerging from the nearby Ituri River.

Joint forces from the Congolese army (FARDC) and the Ugandan army (UPDF) responded to the attack by arriving in Katerrain the following morning. The civil society representative urged authorities to remain on high alert, warning that the assailants may still be hiding nearby. Local farmers were advised to steer clear of unsecured areas to avoid further tragedy. This horrific incident follows closely on the heels of a newly launched joint military campaign in the neighboring Babila-Bakwanza region, aimed at driving out ADF militants. The attack underscores the ongoing threat these rebel groups pose to civilians and the pressing need for sustained security efforts.

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SOURCE: International Christian Concern