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Recent attacks by an Islamic State-linked militia in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have resulted in over 30 deaths, severely hampering efforts to combat an ongoing Ebola outbreak. The violence, concentrated around the city of Beni in North Kivu province, has raised alarms as patients flee treatment centres, further complicating public health initiatives.
Surge in Attacks and Casualties
In a series of brutal raids that occurred early Wednesday, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) targeted three villages—Matété, Mamuli, and Kitoho—resulting in at least ten confirmed fatalities. Community leader Isaac Kavalami reported that the ADF also set fire to homes and vehicles, with additional civilians reported missing. “We have provisionally recorded around 10 deaths,” he stated, highlighting the chaos inflicted upon the local population.
The violence escalated dramatically just before midnight on Saturday, when the militia entered Beni, a town already under military administration since 2021. Eyewitness accounts describe a scene of terror, with residents fleeing in panic as the
