LUBERO, DRC – At least 80 people were killed in a brutal attack by Islamist militants from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), affiliated with the Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP), in Ntoyo village, near the mining zone of Manguredjipa in Lubero territory.
According to the Office of the Governor of North Kivu under the AFC/M23 administration, 75 bodies have so far been recovered by local residents, with the death toll expected to rise as searches continue.
The attackers reportedly struck at night, massacring civilians in an area that has recently seen increased mining activity.
The ADF, originally a Ugandan rebel group, has escalated its violence in eastern DRC, targeting civilians, mining zones, and transport routes despite ongoing military operations.
The AFC/M23 administration condemned the killings, calling them “a clear reminder of the persistent insecurity that Kinshasa has failed to address.”
This latest massacre underscores the worsening security vacuum in North Kivu, where civilians remain vulnerable despite repeated pledges of protection from the central government.