Africa-Press. A new attack was carried out by members of the Allied Democratic Forces, an armed group linked to a terrorist organization, in Ituri Province, northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo. This incident resulted in the abduction of several civilians, who were taken hostage, marking a continued escalation of security conditions in the region.
Local sources reported that the attack occurred on Friday, May 1, in the Lisuma area of Mambasa Province, where the assailants abducted dozens of residents. The exact number of those kidnapped remains unconfirmed at this time.
This operation comes amid a notable expansion of the group’s activities in the eastern part of the country over recent months. Civil society organizations noted that the attackers did not limit themselves to abductions but also looted agricultural crops in surrounding areas, including the neighboring towns of Kanana, Leta Kredi, Mikengi, and Mabindo.
The Association for the Promotion of the Rights of Vulnerable Women and Children pointed out that the Lisuma area is considered a security neglected zone, where the movements of the armed groups faced no effective military presence until the end of last week.
According to United Nations data and civil society sources, Ituri Province has witnessed over 400 abductions since the beginning of this year, with a sharp increase in this phenomenon in recent months. This situation has prompted civil society organizations to urge residents to exercise caution and take precautionary measures.
Military estimates suggest that the Allied Democratic Forces use abduction as a means of forced recruitment, while researchers believe there are also economic motives behind these operations, as the assailants resort to demanding ransom from the families of the kidnapped.
In a related context, a joint military operation led by the Congolese army, with support from Ugandan forces, successfully freed around 200 hostages held by the group in mid-April, in one of the largest rescue operations in recent times.
