Three people have died as Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels carried out more attacks in Ituri Province, the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday. The latest attack occurred in Eringeti village near Biane at the border between North Kivu and Ituri provinces.
Sabiti Njiamoja, the area governor’s delegated official says that the ADF rebels emerged from the bush and immediately started shooting at civilians. Njiamoja says that another unspecified number of civilians were wounded and later evacuated to the hospital for treatment. Without specifying numbers, he says that several motorcycles were also burnt by the rebels in the fifth attack conducted within a space of 24 hours.
At least 16 people died in 48-hours as a result of attacks in the same county of Irumu territory in Ituri province. More than 10 people were also taken hostage by the attackers, while 13 others including eight rebels, three civilians and two security officers died on Saturday when rebels ambushed a convoy of over 20 vehicles belonging to FARDC and United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) at Katabey village on the Luna-Komanda section in Irumu.
The convoy had left Luna for Komanda on national road number 4. FARDC managed to repel the ambush and also recovered four AK 47 riffles. Despite the presence of FARDC and Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) soldiers in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, ADF rebels have continued to create insecurity in the area.
Christophe Munyanderu, the coordinator of the Convention for the Respect of Human Rights (CRDH) in the area says that following the repetitive attacks by ADF rebels, activities have slowed down in the cluster which is gradually emptying of its populations.
Munyanderu says that competent authorities, including the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo FARDC- Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) coalition, must act quickly to hunt down the enemy out of the area.
