There was serious tension on Friday as some Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels killed 13 people and torched a clinic in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, local officials have confirmed.
The mayor of Lume in North Kivu province, Kasereka Ise Mighambo asserted that the ADF fighters had entered the town very late on Thursday where they went on to burn down a health clinic, killing four patients inside.
He further went on to add that the militants killed nine more civilians before retreating into Virunga National Park, a world-renowned wildlife haven in Congo’s conflict-torn east.
A local nurse whose name was given as Kule Bwengue also revealed that health authorities had registered 13 deaths in the attack.
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A Congolese army spokesman, Captain Antony Mualushayi, reported the loss of nine lives, including those of three children.
He added that an armed group ‘that supports ADF terrorists’ conducted the raid.
Claimed by the Islamic State group as its Central African offshoot, the ADF has been accused of massacring Congolese civilians and carrying out terrorist attacks in neighbouring Uganda.
The DRC and Uganda launched a joint offensive against the ADF in November 2021 to crush the rebels, but violence against civilians continues.
More than 120 armed groups roam eastern DRC.
Africa Today News, New York recalls that this was coming less than 48 hours after the Presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda held ‘open-minded’ talks as both countries looked to tame the increasing tension over violence in eastern DR Congo.
Following the meeting which was held in Angola, DR Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi revealed that he and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame had reached serious agreements to restore trust and de-escalate tension in the area.
Africa Today News, New York reports that Angolan President João Lourenço has been mediating the talks for a while. He announced a ‘ceasefire’ without giving any details.