A new attack attributed to the ADF rebels plunged the villages of Byambwe and Mabyango, in the Lubero territory of North Kivu, into mourning on Thursday night around 10:00 PM.
This attack adds to the long series of violent incidents that regularly plague the civilian population of this region, already traumatized by years of insecurity.
Targeted killings and a heavy death toll
According to several concurring local sources, the attackers committed particularly shocking executions.
The wife of the president of the Byambwe civil society organization, who was hospitalized at the local health center, was murdered, as was her mother-in-law. These targeted killings have deeply shaken the community.
The same sources report a provisional death toll of at least ten, although the exact number of victims could rise as bodies are identified. Abductions of civilians and looting of homes have also been reported.
A terrified population left to fend for itself.
Residents describe a scene of total panic, marked by frantic movements toward areas deemed safer.
Many denounce the lack of sufficient military reinforcements in the region, despite repeated warnings from community leaders about the active presence of the ADF in the vicinity of Lubero.
The security situation remains extremely tense, with survivors fearing a possible return of the attackers.
Urgent Calls for Authorities to Intervene
Local communities are urging the provincial and central governments to:
reinforce military deployments around Byambwe, Mabyango, and neighboring areas;
protect populations exposed to recurring incursions by armed groups;
assist bereaved families and displaced persons;
launch investigations to identify and neutralize those responsible.
Civil society actors emphasize the urgent need for a coordinated security response and immediate humanitarian support, noting that the ADF continues to sow terror in North Kivu despite ongoing military operations.
Yet another tragedy in a crisis that is dragging on.
This attack underscores, once again, the fragility of security in the Lubero territory and the limitations of current security measures in the face of the ADF rebels’ mobility. Residents, caught between armed violence and institutional silence, are waiting for concrete measures to guarantee their survival.
THE EDITORIAL STAFF