Armed individuals linked to a local extremist group attacked a village in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near the border with Uganda, resulting in at least 13 fatalities, along with the burning and looting of homes, according to a local civil society group.
The attacks occurred in the village of Banana Ikole, a suburb of the provincial capital Mambasa.
A local source reported that Marie Noelle Anutani, head of a civil society organization in Congo/Mambasa, and Sylvain Andali, a resident of the area, stated that the Allied Democratic Forces were behind the attack.
Both indicated that the assailants employed tactics commonly used by this group during their assaults.
Anutani mentioned that the death toll of 13 civilians remains provisional, clarifying that most residents are unresponsive to communications, while search operations continue in surrounding villages.
The attacks have forced residents to choose between staying in their areas or risking relocation to other parts of the province, which is simultaneously experiencing an outbreak of Ebola.
Andali expressed his decision to leave Mambasa and head to Bunia out of fear of further attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces.
He added, “Many of my neighbors have already been killed, and I must protect my life and the lives of my family members.”
The coincidence of armed attacks with the Ebola outbreak adds to the pressures faced by the local population, as civilians are compelled to seek safer areas amid ongoing security and health risks.
The roots of the Allied Democratic Forces trace back to Uganda, and they pledged allegiance to a local extremist group in 2019, remaining active for years in the border region between Congo and Uganda.
This group is one of many armed factions operating in Congo, particularly in the eastern regions, where they carry out repeated attacks targeting civilians.
In July 2025, the group killed 66 individuals in eastern Congo, an attack described by a local source as a “massacre.”
Security disturbances in Congo are not limited to the Allied Democratic Forces, as the country faces attacks from around 100 other armed groups.
Among the most notable of these groups is the March 23 Movement, supported by Rwanda, which has managed to seize key towns in the eastern part of the country.
The proliferation of armed groups and the extent of their activities make eastern Congo one of the most volatile regions, with civilians continually facing attacks and displacement.
The recent attack comes at a time when areas of Congo are experiencing an Ebola outbreak, adding a health crisis to the deteriorating security situation.
Residents in the areas affected by the attacks face an additional dilemma, as relocating from their homes may mean moving to other areas that are also suffering from the spread of the disease.
These developments reveal the overlapping security and humanitarian crises in eastern Congo, where the activities of armed groups coincide with disease outbreaks and increasing displacement.
The attack on the village of Banana Ikole highlights the ongoing threat posed by the Allied Democratic Forces to civilians in eastern Congo, despite efforts to combat armed groups.
With dozens of groups continuing to operate in the region, civilian populations remain the most vulnerable to the consequences of violence, whether through direct attacks, displacement, or deteriorating humanitarian conditions.