By Our Reporter
Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is in shock following two days of grisly attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamic State-linked armed group, which left at least 89 people dead in North Kivu province.
According to local officials, the first attack occurred on Monday when ADF fighters stormed a funeral gathering in Ntoyo village, armed with machetes and guns. Survivors recounted harrowing scenes, saying the militants forced mourners to assemble before attacking them. Most victims were hacked to death, with several reportedly beheaded.
On Tuesday, a second wave of violence struck Oicha, a town near Beni, where at least 18 more people were killed. Many victims were mutilated in their homes and fields as they attempted to escape. Authorities warn that the death toll may rise as search efforts continue.
Originally a Ugandan insurgent group, the ADF pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2019 and has since carried out repeated assaults across eastern Congo, taking advantage of the region’s chronic insecurity. Despite joint military operations by Congolese and Ugandan forces, the group continues to wage terror campaigns, targeting civilians, churches, and now funerals.
This week’s killings follow a series of massacres attributed to the ADF, including the July 2025 attack on a Komanda church that killed 34 worshippers and a massacre in Irumu earlier this year that claimed 66 lives. Analysts say the attacks on funerals demonstrate the group’s deliberate strategy of striking during moments of communal vulnerability.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, strongly condemned the attacks and urged for renewed international support to dismantle ISIS-affiliated networks in the region.
Humanitarian agencies warn that the violence has displaced hundreds of residents, deepening the crisis in North Kivu, where millions are already facing food insecurity and lack of basic services.
Casualty figures remain provisional as investigations and recovery efforts continue.
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