Masambo attack
| Masambo attack | |
|---|---|
| Part of Kivu conflict | |
| Location | Masambo, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Date | April 3–4, 2022 |
| Deaths | 29 killed |
| Perpetrator |  Allied Democratic Forces |
Between the night of April 3–4, 2022, Allied Democratic Forces jihadists attacked the village of Masambo, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing 21 people.
Background
[edit]Since the 1990s, the Allied Democratic Forces have launched an insurgency in eastern DRC.[1] After resurfacing in 2013, the group has killed thousands of people, primarily in midnight massacres using machetes.[2] These attacks increased after 2019, whenever the ADF allied itself with the Islamic State - Central Africa Province (ISCAP).[1] In response, the Congolese government declared a "state of siege" in the North Kivu region, and increased alliances with neighboring East African countries in sending peacekeeping teams to the area.[3] In March 2022, two weeks before the Masambo attack, over sixty civilians were killed by the ADF in four villages in Kivu.[3] The road linking much of the region was a hotbed for violence, with dozens of deadly attacks by insurgents including ADF.[4]
Attack
[edit]The attack began on the night of April 3–4, in the village of Masambo.[5] The ADF attacked with knives and bullets, and residents fled the town in the middle of the night, many heading towards Kasindi.[6] While some civilians were killed in their homes, many were shot at while fleeing.[7] Winye wa Benga, the head of Masambo, initially gave a death toll of 11 killed and two kidnapped, but this was revised to twenty-eight civilians and one soldier killed following the discovery of more bodies later in the week.[7] Three other villages were attacked later that night, but Masambo was the epicenter of the violence.[7]
Aftermath
[edit]Initially, the Congolese army stated it would release a statement on the attack after increasing security in the area.[8] Ugandan Major Peter Mugisa, a commander in Operation Shujaa, a joint Ugandan-Congolese offensive against the ADF that began in November 2021, claimed that after the attack more soldiers were deployed to Masambo and surrounding villages.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "The Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamic State Affiliate in the Democratic Republic of Congo". Congressional Research Service. September 1, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2023.
- ^ "ADF attack in eastern DRC leaves more than a dozen killed". Africanews. 2022-04-05. Retrieved 2023-04-28.
- ^ a b "More Than 50 Killed in Rebel Attacks in DR Congo". The Defense Post. 2022-03-14. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ^ "Democratic Republic of Congo's 'road of death' haunted by suffering". ewn.co.za. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ^ "Suspected Islamists kill 21 civilians in eastern Congo". Reuters. 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ^ Sleiman, Sara. "Over a dozen killed in rebel attack in eastern Congo". Over a dozen killed in rebel attack in eastern Congo. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ^ a b c "Toll From Rebel Attacks In Eastern DR Congo Rises To 29". www.barrons.com. Agence France Press. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ^ "Suspected Islamists kill 21 civilians in eastern Congo". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ^ "Operation Shujaa forces take shooting break to do good". Monitor. 2022-04-07. Retrieved 2023-05-02.