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Rebels linked to the Islamic State group attacked mining sites in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing several people, the government said on Sunday.
The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel movement originally formed by Ugandan insurgents and now allied with the Islamic State, carried out the assault on gold mining sites near the town of Muchacha in Ituri Province on Wednesday night, according to a government statement.
Eastern DR Congo has endured nearly three decades of conflict involving numerous armed groups, militias and government troops.
The ADF has been repeatedly accused of massacres and looting in Ituri and the neighbouring North Kivu Province.
“This attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State group, left multiple people dead, facilities burnt and civilian populations displaced,” the government stated.
Local police chief Matadi Muyapandi said the targeted area hosts significant gold mining operations, including a Chinese-operated mine.
He added that the attackers ambushed soldiers deployed to repel the rebels, leaving seven troops wounded.
“Two civilians’ bodies have been found, but the death toll could be higher. It’s still difficult to access the site,” said John Vuleveryo, head of a local non-governmental organisation.
“Several people were also kidnapped. The Chinese nationals who were present in Muchacha fled.”
Since 2021, the Ugandan People’s Defence Force has been deployed in northern North Kivu and Ituri alongside Congolese troops to combat the ADF.
However, the joint military operation has failed to halt the violence.
The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, already battling the M23 rebel group, has struggled to counter ADF attacks, as the militants often operate in small units and take cover in the region’s dense forests.
