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| Allied Democratic Forces insurgency | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part ofKivu conflict andIturi conflict | |||||||
.jpg) A UNFIB soldier standing guard during an operation against the ADF on the outskirts ofBeni | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
Mai-Mai Kyandenga (2020–present) LRA[4]  Al-Shabaab[1] (disputed)[5] VariousJihadi groups (Ugandan and MONUSCO claim)[5] Sudan (1990s; currently unknown)[6] | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 James Aloizi Mwakibolwa |
 Frank Kithasamba[7][9] | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
2019–2020: | /Islamic State 1,500–2,000[12] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
 Unknown Many[13] 17+ killed[13][1] (at least 15Tanzanian,[13] 1Malawian,[14] 1South African[15]) | 1,590–2,090+ killed[16] 314+ captured[17] | ||||||
| 3,424+ people killed (including civilians, soldiers and rebels)[18][19][20][21][22] 150,000+ displaced[6] | |||||||
TheAllied Democratic Forces insurgency is an ongoing conflict waged by theAllied Democratic Forces (ADF) inUganda and theDemocratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), against the governments of those two countries and theMONUSCO. The insurgency began in 1996, intensifying in 2013, resulting in hundreds of deaths. The ADF is known to currently control a number of hidden camps which are home to about 2,000 people; in these camps, the ADF operates as aproto-state with "an internal security service, a prison, health clinics, and an orphanage" as well as schools for boys and girls.[23]
The ADF was formed byJamil Mukulu, an ultra conservativeUgandan Muslim belonging to theTablighi Jamaat group. Mukulu was born as David Steven and was baptised as aCatholic, later converting to Islam, adopting a Muslim name and becoming radicalised. He reportedly spent the early 1990s inKhartoum, Sudan, coming into personal contact withOsama bin Laden.[7]
ADF merged with the remnants of another rebel group, theNational Army for the Liberation of Uganda (NALU), during the years following the fall ofIdi Amin. ADF-NALU's initial goal was to overthrow Ugandan president'sYoweri Museveni government, replacing it with an Islamic fundamentalist state. The group went on to recruit former officers of the Ugandan army, as well as volunteers fromTanzania andSomalia. Funded by the illegal mining and logging industries of theDemocratic Republic of the Congo, ADF created 15 well organised camps in theRwenzori Mountains, located in the DRC-Uganda border areas. The insurgence remained unaffected by government amnesty and talk efforts, as members married local women.[24]
According to intelligence sources, ADF has collaborated withal-Shabaab andLord's Resistance Army. Receiving training and logistic support, with limited direct involvement from al-Shabaab's side. Other alleged sponsors of the faction include Sudanese Islamist politicianHassan al-Turabi and former DRC presidentMobutu Sese Seko.[7][4]
Formed in 1989, ADF carried out its first attacks in 1995. The conflict gradually intensified, culminating in the 1998 Kichwamba Technical College attack, which left 80 people dead, with 80 more being abducted. By 2002, continuous pressure from the Ugandan Army forced ADF to relocate most of its activities into the neighboringDemocratic Republic of the Congo. The insurgency continued on a smaller scale until 2013, which marked a resurgence of ADF activity, with the group launching a recruitment campaign along with numerous attacks.[7][25][26]
A report of The Congo Research Group atNew York University, released in September 2017, indicted the Congolese Army commanders of orchestrating the massacres in Beni from 2014 to 2016. It cited multiple witnesses saying that army commanders, including the former top general in the zone, supported and in some cases organized the killings. Sources told it that during some massacres, soldiers secured the perimeter so that victims could not escape. It stated that the first massacres were orchestrated in 2013 by former leaders of the rebel group Popular Congolese Army (APC), which fought in theCongo War of 1998–2003 to create a new rebellion and undermine confidence in the central government of DRC. These rebels were working with ADF per the report. However, when the massacres began, the army commanders co-opted many of the networks of the local militias to weaken their rivals.[27]
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On 13 November 1996, ADF perpetrated its first large-scale attack on the towns ofBwera and Mpondwe-Lhubiriha in Kasese district, Uganda. Approximately 50 people were killed in the attack. 25,000 people fled the towns, before they were recaptured by Ugandan troops.[28][29]
Uganda expanded operations in the DRC from September onwards to attack ADF rebels. The DRC allowed these actions per DRC-authorized Ugandan deployments into Ntabi on 19 December, early February 1998, and early July 1998.[30]
From 11 to 13 August, a bilateral meeting took place between the DRC and Uganda inKinshasa regarding Ugandan operations against ADF rebels.[30]
On 20 February 1998, ADF abducted 30 children, in the aftermath of an attack on a Seventh-Day Adventist College in Mitandi, Kasese district.[6]
On 4 April, 5 people were killed and at least 6 were wounded, when bombs exploded at two restaurants inKampala.[31]
From 6 to 7 April, a further bilateral meeting took place between the DRC and Uganda inKampala regarding Ugandan operations against ADF rebels. Bilateral meetings would again resume late that month, from 24 to 27 April inKinshasa. In the latter meetings, a Protocol on Security along the Common Border was signed on 27 April. It focused on ending all armed rebel conflict, especially in Ruwenzori. Thus, their militaries agreed to cooperate on border security.[30]
On 8 June 1998, ADF rebelskilled 80 students of theKichwamba Technical College inKabarole District, Uganda. 80 students were abducted in the same raid. In June 1998, ADF rebels abducted over 100 school children from a school inHoima, Uganda.[31]
In August 1998, 30 people were killed in three separate bus bombings, perpetrated by ADF.[31]
Between 10 April 1999 – 30 May 1999 ADF carried out seven attacks, resulting in 11 deaths and 42 wounded.[6]
On 9 December 1999, ADF attacked the Katojo prison facility, releasing 360 prisoners held for terrorism.[6]
On 20 April, Chief of Staff of the ADF, Commander Benz, surrendered to the UPDF and was the first senior commander to do so.[32]
A two-day meeting from 21 to 23 April held inLubumbashi intended to discuss armed groups within the DRC, attended by the DRC, Rwanda, and Uganda, called the Tripartite Commission.[33][34] The discussion primarily concerned theDemocratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda's (FDLR) intention to engage in surrender on the condition of disarmament and repatriation into Rwanda.[35] On 21 April, Uganda accused the DRC of harboring the ADF within the DRC's border by the Ugandan Minister of Cooperation in Lubumbashi. The DRC's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ramazani Baya, denied the claim.[34] By 23 April, the released statement mentioned that "the three countries reaffirmed their commitment to put an end to the threat posed to the security of the three countries by the presence and activities of the negative forces in the east."[33] The three countries agreed to put into effect a US-backed information exchange mechanism for confidence building.[36] Despite their mention in discussion, the statement made no mention of ADF rebels or their activity.[33][36] The three countries intended to meet again in Kigali in August.[33]
On 30 April,USAID'sOffice of Transition Initiatives (OTI) reported that itsDisarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) program disarmed around 11,500 former combatants since September 2004, with 1,000 disarmed in September alone. OTI's Synergie d'Education Communautaire et d'Appui à la transition (SE*CA) community engagement and grant program indicated a success in diffusing ethnic tensions. Their program appraisal claimed that "there [was an] improvement on all indicators," with significant stability in many areas, includingKisangani andBunia. Stability and greater acceptance sentiments caused war affected people in communities hosting the SE*CA efforts to participate in reintegration efforts more.[35]
The Tripartite Commission Plus One, including Burundi in addition to the DRC, Rwanda, and Uganda, met again on 27 October in Kampala to further discuss foreign rebel presence in eastern DRC.[37]
.jpg)
During March 2007, the UPDF engaged ADF groups in multiple firefights, killing at least 46 inBundibugyo andMubende districts. The biggest battle occurred on March 27, when the UPDF faced an estimated 60 ADF troops and killed 34, including three senior commanders. The UPDF claimed to have retrieved numerous weapons as well as documents that tie the ADF to theLRA.[4]
On 13 April 2007, the UPDF and ADF engaged in an intense battle inside theSemuliki National Park, near the upscale Semliki Lodge tourist destination.[38]
On 4 December 2007, 200 ADF and NALU militants surrendered to Ugandan authorities.[6]
Ceasefire and amnesty talks between the government of Uganda and the ADF were held in Nairobi starting in May 2008. Negotiations were complicated by the fragmentation of the ADF's leadership.[39] Non-combatant dependents of the ADF were repatriated to Uganda by the IOM. At least 48 ADF fighters surrendered and were given amnesty.[40] As the threat from the LRA in the DRC waned, the UPDF put increasing focus on the ADF as a reason for UPDF personnel to remain in the DRC.[41]
Between February 2012 to March 2012, over 60 ADF insurgents were arrested within Uganda.[17]
On 24 January 2013, insurgents tortured and later executed 13 people who were previously abducted from the city ofOicha, North Kivu.[42]
In April 2013, it was reported that ADF started a recruitment campaign inKampala and other parts of the country.[26] Citing a defector from ADF, "allAfrica" reported that some 10 new recruits joined ADF forces every day.[26]
In July 2013, the ADF renewed its fighting in the Congolese district ofBeni. According to the UNRadio Okapi, the ADF together with the NALU, fought a pitched battle with the FARD, briefly taking the towns ofMamundioma andTotolito.[43] On July 11, the ADF attacked the town ofKamango, triggering the flight of over 60,000 refugees across the border into the Ugandan district of Bundibugyo.[44]
Early in September 2013, regional leaders under the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) asked the recently formed combativeIntervention Brigade underMONUSCO to attack positions of foreign negative forces operating in DRC, including the ADF.[45] On 23 September 2013, 3 people were killed during an ADF attack in theWatalinga Sector, North Kivu, DRC.[45] On 27 September 2013, ADF militants killed five and abducted 30 people in an attack on a health center in the city ofMaleki, DRC.[46]
On 23 October 2013, ADF guerrillas abducted 26 people from the village of Upira, North Kivu, later transferring them to the rebel strongholds of Makembi and Chuchubo.[47]
In the period between November 2012 and November 2013, ADF carried out 300 kidnappings.[48]
On 14 December 2013, 13 people were killed, in the aftermath of an ADF attack on the Musuku village, Uganda.[49] On 15 December 2013, ADF killed eight people in the Biangolo village, Uganda.[49] On 25 December 2013, ADF rebels attacked the city ofKamango,DRC. Over 50 civilians were killed and many buildings were burnt down. The city was retaken by the Congolese army the following day.[50] On 29 December 2013, ADF rebels launched another attack on the city of Kamango. The ADF militants beheaded 21 civilians and urged the residents of the city to flee to Uganda.[50]
On 17 January 2014, the Congolese army drove ADF militants soldiers out of the city of Beni, with the aid of UN's "Intervention Brigade" peace corps.[50]
On 17 February 2014, a Congolese army spokesman announced that the military had killed 230 ADF rebels in the aftermath of a monthlong offensive, 23 FARDC soldiers were also killed in the operation.[51]
On 23 March 2014, South African helicopters struck ADF forces for the first time, in support of Operation Sukola 1.[52]
Between 5–8 October 2014, ADF militants killed 15 people, within the North Kivu province, DRC.[53] On 15 October 2014, ADF rebels killed 27 people in an attack on villages, located outside Beni.[53] On 18 October 2014, ADF insurgents killed over 20 people, in an attack on the village of Byalos, DRC.[53] On 31 October 2014, a crowd stoned to death, burned and then ate a suspected ADF insurgent in the town of Beni. The incident came after a number of ADF raids, that brought the October's civilian death toll to over 100 people.[54]
On 20 November 2014, rebels disguised as Congolese soldiers killed between 50 and 80 people near Beni.[55]
On 8 December 2014, militants hacked to death 36 civilians in the vicinity of Beni.[56] On 26 December 2014, an ADF attack resulted in the deaths of 11 people, in the village of Ndumi, Ituri.[57]
On 4 January 2015, a joint MONUSCO – FARDC offensive forced ADF militants out of the Mavure village, North Kivu. One rebel was killed, as government forces seized large amounts of drugs and training materials.[58]
On 5 February 2015, ADF carried out a night raid on the city ofBeni hacking to death 23 people and injuring one.[59]
On 9 March 2015, ADF rebels killed one and injured two civilians in the area of the Semliki bridge, North Kivu.[60]
On 15 April 2015, an ADF attack on the villages of Matiba and Kinzika, Beni-Mbau sector, DRC, led to the deaths of 18 people.[61] On 23 April 2015, ADF rebels massacred five civilians in the village of Kalongo, 6km northwest of Oïcha.[62]
On 30 April 2015, the Ugandan media reported that the ADF's leader, Jamil Mukulu, had been arrested in Tanzania.[63]
On 8 May 2015, suspected ADF guerrillas attacked the Matembo neighborhood of the town ofMulekere, North Kivu. Seven people were slain in the attack bringing the region's 2015 death toll to over 300 casualties.[64]
In early December 2015, the ADF seized a MONUSCO base in North Kivu, killing a Malawian UN soldier in doing so. South African UN forces later retook the base, attacking withRooivalk attack helicopters.[65]
29 February – Thirteen civilians were killed by suspected Ugandan rebels in the Beni territory in eastern DRC. The killings took place in the village of Ntombi, located about 40km northeast of Beni, an area massacres and recurrent attacks attributed toAllied Democratic Forces, a rebel group opposed to the Ugandan government and is considered a terrorist organisation.[66]
20 March – A priest of the Congregation of Caracholine Nyamilima was shot and critically wounded like his driver and a child present in the same car. The attackers was theAllied Democratic Forces, a rebel group opposed to the Ugandan government and is considered a terrorist organisation[67]
In early May 2016, assailants from the ADF armed with machetes hacked at least 16 civilians to death in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.[68]
According to theCongolese military, at least nine people were hacked to death in an ADF attack in a village 30km north ofBeni in July 2016.[69]
The ADF has been blamed for theBeni massacre.
7 October – ADF fighters ambush a group of state officials near Beni, killing 22.[1]
8 October – The ADF attacks a UN base inGoma, killing two peacekeepers and wounding 12.[1]
8 December – Hundreds of ADF insurgents launch a coordinatedattack on a UN base in North Kivu province, killing at least 15 UN peacekeepers and five Congolese soldiers in a protracted, hours-long gun battle before finally withdrawing. 72 insurgents are also killed in the firefight.[13]
15 January – Three Democratic Republic of Congo soldiers were killed while repelling an attack in the eastern Beni region by ADF Ugandan extremist rebels. Five others were wounded.[70][71]
2 February – Three people were killed in an attack by rebels of the ADF who also looted a hospital in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.[72]
3 March – Six people were shot dead and another was stabbed to death in a raid by ADF rebels in the village of Eringeti in Democratic Republic of Congo's North Kivu province.[73]
5–6 March – Twenty people were killed in several attacks by the ADF in the province of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. More than 15 others were reported missing after the attacks and probably kidnapped by the attackers.[74][75]
8 September –Muhammad Kirumira, the former police commissioner for Uganda's Buyende District, is gunned down by several assassins. A female friend of Kirumira's is also killed in the attack. In 2019, Ugandan authorities link the attack to the ADF and arrest two suspects. A third suspect dies in a shootout with police on September 28.[76]
4 October – ADF militants attacked an army outpost in Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo killing at least 6 people.[77]
3 November – Allied Democratic Forces Rebels killed at least 7 people and abducted 15 others including 10 children in raids and attacks in the DRC's North Kivu province.[citation needed]
16 November – An ADFambush nearBeni, DRC, leaves 8 UN peacekeepers and 12 Congolese soldiers dead and 10 peacekeepers wounded. Additionally, one peacekeeper remains missing.[78]
22 November – Unidentified rebels, presumed to be ADF militants, open fire on a UN helicopter near the Ugandan border in eastern DRC. UN forces return fire before retreating back to base. Although the helicopter is damaged, there are no recorded casualties.[79]
27 November – ADF militants launch a nighttime assault onOicha, DRC, killing six civilians. Congolese soldiers successfully repel the assault, killing one insurgent.[80]
11 December – ADF insurgents bypass Congolese army units and launch a second nighttime attack on Oicha, killing nine civilians and looting several homes.[81]
23 December – ADF forces attack the village of Masiani, just outside Beni, DRC, killing four civilians and a soldier. Three civilians are wounded.[82]
27 December – Protesters in Beni attack a medical holding center for patients infected with theEbola virus, burning three tents and looting supplies. Congolese authorities blame the ADF.[83]
7 January – ADF insurgents launch an attack on a market in the village of Mavivi, just north ofBeni. Eight civilians (five of them children) are killed outright and at least two others later die of their injuries. Dozens of homes and farms are looted.[84]
9 January – ADF insurgents attack a Congolese army outpost in Beni. Three Congolese soldiers and seven civilians are killed in the resulting gun battle. An additional two Congolese soldiers are wounded.[85]
21 January – ADF insurgents attack Congolese soldiers in the village of Mapou, just outsideOicha.[86]
24 January – Three people are killed and two others were wounded in an ambush attack by presumed members of the ADF, in the province of North Kivu, on a highway that led to the city of Beni, four vehicles were left damaged by bullets.[87]
12 February – Congolese soldiers attack an ADF camp in Mamove, about 50 kilometers outside of Beni. Four insurgents are killed in the resulting firefight, and four hostages are rescued. Congolese soldiers also recover medicine that had been previously looted by the ADF.[88]
8 March – A park ranger is shot dead by unknown assailants inVirunga National Park. Congolese authorities blame the ADF for the killing.[89]
19 March – ADF fighters, disguised as security officers, infiltrate and attack Kalau, a majority-Christian village located just outside Beni. The resulting 4-hour assault kills six Christian civilians, including a 9-month-old child, and forces nearly 500 others to flee their homes.[90]
2 April – Ugandan authorities report that the ADF has begun establishing bases inMozambique'sCabo Delgado Province.
5 April – 35-year-old American tourist Kimberly Sue Endicott and her native guide are kidnapped by a group of armed gunmen inQueen Elizabeth National Park, near the Uganda-DRC border. Endicott and her guide are released two days later after authorities reach a settlement with the kidnappers. Although the assailants have not been identified, it is strongly suspected by both Ugandan authorities and the United States that the ADF is behind the abduction.[91]
29 May – Suspected ADF fighters launch a massive assault on Congolese army barracks and UN Peacekeeping forces in the village of Ngite, near Mavivi, DRC. After the militants briefly capture the barracks, a joint UN-Congolese army counterattack inflicts heavy losses on the ADF, which withdraws following an intense firefight. At least 26 insurgents are killed in the gun battle. One South African UN Peacekeeper is wounded by a shot to the foot. Dozens of weapons, including AK-47s, machetes, grenades, mortars, and PKM machine guns, are recovered.TheIslamic State of Iraq and the Levant claims responsibility for the attack.[92][93]
4 June – ADF fighters attack a village in northeastern Beni, DRC, in an Ebola zone. 13 civilians and two Congolese soldiers are killed in the attack and a teenage girl is abducted by the militants. Congolese soldiers successfully repel the assault, killing one attacker.Clashes resume in the area later in the day. ISIL again claims responsibility for the attack.[94]
7 June – Officials fromRwanda,Uganda,Tanzania, and the DRC meet inKinshasa to discuss a joint response to the ADF insurgency in North Kivu.[95]
22 July – ADF militants attack the cities ofEringeti andOicha, killing a total of 12 civilians (nine in Eringeti and three in Oicha). 10 civilians, including children, are abducted. That same day, the ADF clashes with Congolese soldiers in the towns of Mangboko and Masulukwed, resulting in 11 fatalities.[96] ISIL claims responsibility for the attacks.[97]
27 August – A major ADF attack on Boga in the DRC'sIturi Province results in the abduction of 100–200 civilians and the looting of livestock, medicine, and food. Congolese soldiers engage in combat with the attackers, but no casualties are reported and there are conflicting reports of the effectiveness of the military's response. The attack lasts for about three hours.[98][99]
5 September – Tanzanian soldiers detain a truck full of cows destined for the DRC, alleging the shipment was arranged by ADF supporters to provide food for insurgents in the Congo.[100]
14 September – Congolese soldiers repel a suspected ADF attack on the town of Kitchanga. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claims responsibility for the assault.[101]
31 October – The Congolese army launched a large scale offensive against the ADF in theBeni Territory of the North Kivu Province. According to spokesman General Leon Richard Kasonga, "The DRC armed forces launched large-scale operations overnight Wednesday to eradicate all domestic and foreign armed groups that plague the east of the country and destabilize the Great Lakes region." The operation is being carried out by the FARDC without any foreign support.[102] The focus is primarily on the ADF but also other armed groups are being targeted.[103]
13 November – Ukrainian Mil Mi-24 helicopters operated by MONUSCO conduct airstrikes on an ADF insurgent group attacking an army base near the Semuliki River. The militants retreat into the surrounding woods following the airstrikes. No peacekeepers are reported injured.[104]
15–16 November – During the night of November 14–15, ADF insurgents attack a neighborhood in Beni, looting shops and homes. At least 15 civilians are killed, many of them by machete. It is believed the ADF carried out the attack in response to the renewed Congolese army offensive.[105] According to Congolese authorities, more than 40 civilians have been killed in such attacks since the Congolese army began a renewed offensive in early November.[106]
30 November – Congolese soldiers kill a high-ranking ADF commander, Mouhamed Islam Mukubwa, during an assault in the Mapobu forest in northeastern North Kivu. Mukubwa was described as one of the three major leaders of the ADF. Another senior ADF leader, Nasser Abdullayi Kikuku, was also killed earlier in the month.[107]
6 December – Two ADF attacks in the villages of Mantumbi and Kolokoko kill 17 civilians – two of whom are beheaded by machete.[108]
10 December – The United States imposes sanctions on ADF leaderMusa Baluku and five other Congolese Islamist rebels.[109]
13 January – 30 Congolese soldiers are killed and 70 are wounded in an intense battle with ADF militants at the ADF's headquarters camp, nicknamed "Madina", near Beni. 40 ADF insurgents are also reported killed, including five top commanders. The Congolese army nevertheless captures the camp, but fails to apprehend the target of the raid, ADF leaderMusa Baluku.[110]
28 January – ADF militants hack 38 civilians to death with machetes in Oicha.[111][112]
30 January – ADF militants kill 21 civilians in three separate attacks on Oicha, Ache, and Mandumbi.[111]
8 February – ADF militants kill eight civilians and abduct 20 others in Magina, near Beni. The militants retreat after being confronted by police.[111]
9 February – 60 ADF fighters attack the village of Makeke, DRC, and kill seven civilians. Congolese soldiers and UN Peacekeepers respond and pursue the fleeing militants into the woods. After being cornered, 40 ADF fighters surrender to the Congolese army.[113]
17 February – An ADF attack in Beni kills at least eight civilians, an intelligence agent, and a Congolese soldier.[114]
18 February – ADF militants kill 12 civilians and burn down several houses in a village east of Beni.[115]
19 February – Five civilians taken hostage by the ADF are found murdered nearVirunga National Park.[116]
24–25 February – Congolese soldiers and ADF insurgents clash on two occasions in the Kadohu village in Beni after government forces intercept an ADF raiding party. Seven ADF fighters and 2 Congolese soldiers are killed, and one ADF fighter is captured.[117]
28 February – The Congolese army releases a statement claiming to have pushed the ADF out of their last stronghold in the Beni region.[118]
1 March – ADF fighters are accused of killing 24 civilians and 12 others in an attack on a village in Ituri province.[119]
9–25 March – Scattered clashes in eastern Congo kill 14 Congolese soldiers and 62 ADF insurgents.[120]
20–24 March – Heavy fighting outside Beni kills 12 Congolese soldiers and 37 ADF insurgents. Congolese military officers report that the ADF's influence in North Kivu has been reduced by 80%.[121]
30 March – The ADF releases 38 hostages following a skirmish that left two civilians and one Congolese soldier dead.[122]
6 April – An ADF attack on the town of Halungpa (18 miles away from Beni) kills six civilians, including a child.[123]
14 April – A civilian is killed in an ADF attack on Beni. The Congolese army repels the assault in a skirmish that leaves two soldiers and five insurgents dead.[124]
24 May – 9 civilians killed in an ADF attack on Beni, the ADF burned several houses to the ground as well. The army claimed they killed 17 of the attackers.[125]
25 May – 17 civilians killed in an ADF on the village of Makutano.[126][127]
26 May – At least 40 civilians were killed with machetes in an attack by the ADF on a village in Ituri province. The ADF also looted food and valuables in the attack.[128]
16 June – 6 Civilians including 4 women were killed and 6 more missing in an ADF attack along the Eringeti-Kainama road in North Kivu. More than 60 homes were also burned by the ADF in the attack.[129]
19 June – 9 Civilians were kidnapped then killed by the ADF.[130]
20 June – 10 Civilians were killed when the ADF Attacked the village of Bukaka.[130]
20 June – Another 10 Civilians were killed when the ADF attacked the village of Biangolo.[131]
21 June – 10 Civilians were killed when the ADF attacked the village of Vukaka.[131]
22 June – A UN Indonesian peacekeeper was killed and another injured in an attack on their patrol. The attack took place in the town of Makisabo near the city of Beni in the North Kivu province.[132]
22 August – ADF killed 13 civilians during raids on the villages of Kinziki-Matiba and Wikeno.[133]
September
8 September – ADF militants, fleeing military pressure in Beni, stormed the village of Tshabi, killing 23 people.[134]
10 September – ADF militants once again attacked Tshabi in Ituri province, killing 35 people. It was the second attack on the town in Irumu territory in two days. The terrorists assaulted civilians with knives and firearms and destroyed the villages.[134]
20 September – ADF rebels killed 10 civilians in the town of Mbau.[135]
25 September – Eleven bodies were found in the town of Mutuanga after an ADF attack at night.[136]
5 October – Six were killed when the ADF attacked the town of Mamove.[137]
5 October – The ADF together with theMai-Mai Kyandenga attack FARDC troops in the Mamove locality killing 10 civilians.[138]
20 October – 1,335 prisoners were freed when the ADF attacked Kangbayi central prison and a military camp that provided security to it inBeni. 2 inmates were killed in the attack.[139]
28–30 October – 40 people were killed in ADF attacks in the villages of Baeti and Lisasa. People were also kidnapped and churches set on fire.
30 October – 21 civilians were killed during ADF raids on the villages of Kamwiri, Kitsimba, and Lisasa. 20 civilians were also abducted and fire was set to many buildings including a Catholic church.[140]
17 November – 29 bodies were found in Virunga National Park after being killed by ADF terrorists.[141]
22 December – 4 civilians and 1 soldier were killed in an attack on Bulongo.[142]
30 December – ADF captures Loselose village.[143]
31 December – 25 civilians were massacred by ADF onNew Year's Eve in the village of Tingwe.[143]
1 January – DRC army supported by UN peacekeepers captures village of Loseslose from ADF. Two DRC soldiers and 14 ADF militiamen were killed during the fighting, seven DRC soldiers were wounded as well.[144]
4 January – 25 civilians were killed and several more kidnapped by ADF during their attacks on Tingwe, Mwenda and Nzenga villages.Secretary-General of the United Nations,António Guterres again called forglobal ceasefire after the killings, he also urged DRC "to take concrete steps to address the drivers of conflict in the east of the country". Local leaders Bozy Sindiwako and Muvunga Kimwele said that army intervened too late to push back the rebels. DRC officials announced that they discovered 21 bodies which were "in a state of decomposition" in Loselose and Loulo.[145][146][147]
15 January – Three soldiers and 13 civilians were killed when suspected ADF militants attacked the village of Ndalya, 60 miles south of the city ofBunia in Ituri province.[148]
1 March – 10 civilians were killed in 2 different attacks by suspected ADF militants in eastern DRC. 8 were slain in the Boyo village, with 2 more in the Kainama village.[149]
31 March – 23 civilians were killed in a village near Beni.[150]
31 May – 57 civilians were killed in displacement camps near the towns of Boga and Tchabi in eastern DRC, according to the UN.[151]
1 July – US Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo,Michael A. Hammer, announces that the US government will assist in training Congolese forces and with intelligence sharing.[152]
25 October – Principal actor behind many of the armed groups within easternDRC, John Tibasima, is arrest byFARDC forces.[153]
8 December – suspected ADF fighters killed 16 people in the rural communes of Mangina and nearby Masiriko inNorth Kivu province of DRC.[154]
13 December –Ntoroko clashes
15 January –Kasindi church bombing
22 January –Makugwe massacre
8–9 March –Mukondi massacre
17 June – 42 people are killed by IS-CAP (ADF) fighters in theLhubiriha Secondary School attack in Mpondwe, Uganda
17 October – IS-CAP (ADF) rebels killed 2 foreign tourists and their Ugandan guide inQueen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda[155]
24 October – IS-CAP (ADF) rebels killed 23–26 Christian civilians in an attack targeting the city ofOicha located in theBeni district ofNorth Kivu, EasternDR Congo[156]
28 October – IS-CAP (ADF) rebels killed four people, including two Ugandan soldiers in a car park inKasindi,Beni Territory. A fifth body, assumed to be a perpetrator, was also found.[157]
12 November – IS-CAP (ADF) rebels tied up and killed at least 23 villagers in Eastern DR Congo. Some villagers fled by crossing theLamia River into Uganda, but are suspected to have drowned.[158]
14 November – IS-CAP (ADF) rebels killed and beheaded at least 14 people in an attack on a farming community in North Kivu. Rebels used machetes to carry out the massacre, and burned down houses. Other farmers were still missing after the attack.[159]
18 December – IS-CAP (ADF) rebels killed a local councilor and four of her clients in a small restaurant in Kyabandara parish, Uganda.[160]
On 18 May,Operation Shujaa captured Commander Anywari Al Iraq (alias AA), anIED expert, hailing fromBusia district in easternUganda. In the operation, joint forces seized anSMG, 45 rounds ofammunition, threewalkie-talkies, anRPG charger, and variousIED materials.[161][162]
Targeting ofSeka Musa Baluku's Madina headquarters by jointOperation Shujaa forces forced its relocation around May, speculated to be deeper intoMambasa territory,Ituri province. Camps led by Commanders Mzee Mayor, Mzee Wa Kazi (alias Lumisa), and others holding dependents and hostages merged with Madina in May as well. The Madina camp also moved, being reportedly sighted north of Lolwa, along the Eringeti-Komanda road,Mambasa territory.[161]
June was the deadliest month of 2024, attributed particularly to Commander Abwakasi's attacks between 3 June and 12 June, during which over 150 civilians were killed. On 3 June, the group crossed the RN44 road to attack Ngwaba village, killing 3 civilians. The group moved southwest that same day to Masau village, where they killing 18 more civilians. On 5 June, eight civilians from Kabwiki and Keme villages were killed in attacks by the group. Days later, on 7 June, the group attacked Masala and two nearby settlements. In this attack, the group set up roadblocks along main roads connecting the three settlements, posed as Wazalendo forces to gain local trust, before massacring civilians trapped between the roadblocks. 41 bodies were recovered in the aftermath, found between the villages of Masala and neighboring Mahihi and Keme.[161]
On 7 July, Madina camp resupplier, Toyo Adallah, surrendered toUgandanOperation Shujaa troops on a resupply trip in Bahaha,Mambasa territory. Adallah was supposedly facing a death sentence by theADF for having committedadultery. He was promptly taken to Uganda.[a][161]
ADF camps led by commanders Tabani, Defender, and Braida merged into one at some point in July.[161]
On 11 August, theADF attempted to detonate a drone-bornIED attack on aFARDC position in Malyajama, 30 km northwest ofBeni. The device failed to detonate and was recuperated by security forces.[161]
High-profile Commander Braida (alias Mzee Pasta, Twaburani) wasaccidentally shot by men in his group and later died, on 14 August, alongside one of his two wives. He reportedly died near Biakato,Ituri province while he, his group, and other dependents were travelling towardsBaluku's Madina camp. His dependents continued to Madina onBaluku's orders. Another high-profile Commander, Amigo, died days after Braida, reportedly from a fatal head injury inflicted by an explosive launched byOperation Shujaa forces while bringing a group of Braida's family and dependents which had split up prior to Braida's death. One of Braida's wives, which Amigo had abducted years prior, estimated Amigo to be over 50 years old and confirmed his death. The two groups would then merge, but were again attacked byOperation Shujaa forces, which scattered the group, allowing some dependents, including several of Braida's wives, to escape. The status of others within the group remain unknown.[161][163]
Abwakasi's group, considered "the most active and deadly ADF cell" by a group ofUnited Nations (UN) experts, was seen operating near Manguredjipa, northernLubero territory in August.Operation Shujaa troops were in pursuit, with the group slowed by clashes with local militias.[161]
On 28 September, jointOperation Shujaa forces forces announced having neutralized more than 50ADF rebels inBeni,Mambasa, andLubero territories.[164]
The night between 21 and 22 December, 18 civilians were killed in the village of Robinet in the Bapere Sector, with ADF rebels looting and burning down homes. On 25 December, 3 bodies were found 4 kilometers from Makele, likely killed by the same ADF attackers.[165][166][167]
Before the last week of 2024, Ugandan Minister of Security, RTD[b] Major GeneralJim Muhwezi, assured Ugandan civilians that the government was equipped to deal with anyADF threats.[168] More than 50 people were killed between 22 December and 31 December's festivities, particularly in attacks on villages in the Babika and Baredje groups, Bapere sector and in the Manzia and Mwenye groups in the Baswagha chiefdom. Bapere civil society President, Samuel Kagheni, reported thatADF rebels burned homes in most attacks, contributing to why many residents were forced to move to Manguredjipa and Nziapanda, whereFARDC-UPDF joint forces were present. Local sources witnessedADF fighters splitting into smaller groups to circumvent military positions, come in from the Bandulu region, and return into theBeni territory.[169]
Between the night of 29 and 30 December, rebels killed seven people in the town of Matombo. The following night, between 30 and 31 December, the same rebels attacked the town of Kekelibo and a different group of ADF rebels, armed withknives andlight arms, attacked the village of Kily in the Bulengya group, killing 8 civilians, and the village of Mongoya in the Manzya group, killing 4 civilians, all of whom were women.[170][171] Two ADF rebels were caught by locals who handed them over the Nziapanda's security services.[171] On 31 December, Chief of Bapakombe Bakondo village, Mwami Atsu Taibo, reported thatADF rebels attacked theFARDC's Mikua position but were repelled and pursued.[172]
Operations Shujaa's "relative" success was primarily attributed to the killing of numerous high-profile Commanders.[161][163] However,FARDC-UPDF joint forces' attacks pushedADF militants into areas without security presence, still causing many killings of civilians.[161][173][174]
A report released on 1 February, 2025 by the Human Rights Research Convention (CRDH)NGO estimated that 1,322 people died and 103 were still missing due toADF attacks in 2024.[175] Members from the Research Initiatives for Social Development (RISD) and Forum de Paix (FP)NGOs, and published byPeace Direct (PD), published their annual report for localized conflicts in theDRC, particularly inBeni, where it found that at least 300 security violations and human rights abuses had occurred in 2024.[173][174] It stated that "the ADF is one of the most active armed groups in eastern DRC" and concluded that:
The ADF remain a real and imminent threat, both locally for the people of Beni, as well as nationally and even internationally. Continuously instrumentalised for economic and ideological reasons, they wage guerrilla warfare and sow terror for material or hidden, immaterial interests. They base their survival on their own isolated informal networks, on the media coverage of their methods of action (repertoires of action), and above all on the Congolese security services’ ineffectiveness in ensuring territorial control and internal administrative networking. These armed conflicts perpetrated by the ADF contribute to the creation and/or implantation (conflicts with transversal consequences within society) of other conflicts of a similar nature, i.e. identity-based ones.[174]
AUN report from the Group of Experts, released 27 December, revealed critical information about details onADF operations. It found thatOperation Shujaa found "relative" success, with most attacks carried our along the RN4 road. Furthermore, later attacks destroyed strongholds, depleted combatants and leaders, and released hundreds of hostages.[161]
The deaths ofADF commanders Braida (alias Mzee Pasta) and Amiga were confirmed. Braida's 14 August death was confirmed by eight former hostages and his two former wives.[161][163]
The arrest of ADF operatives Yakut Musana and Abdul Rashid Kyoto (alias Njovu) was provided to the Group in a 1 November communication from theUgandan government. The Group, however, could not confirmUganda's claim to have "put out of action" notableADF rebels including Muraaro Segujja, Feza, Musa Kamusi, Boaz, Rubangakene, Abu Yassin, Bagdad, Fazul, and Mzee Mubindio in the same communication. Furthermore, thegovernment's claim to have killed high-profileADF Commanders Meddie Nkalubo (alias Punisher)[c] and Mulalo was disproven as they were found active inADF activities in 2024; thegovernment confirmed this truth in the same communication.[161]
Intensified attacks on the ADF, however, have forced the group to move to more remote locations and in smaller groups. This movement increased attacks oncivilians,revenge killings,kidnapping,looting, and attacks on medical personnel and humanitarian volunteers. The Group concludes that this is caused byOperation Shujaa operations pushingADF rebels into areas that have no security presence, particularly inIturi andNorth Kivu.[161] Technology is becoming increasingly pervasive inADF arsenals. Detained ADF collaborators, combatants, and former hostages confirmed that drones were used in most camps for surveillance and scouting.[d][161][176]
According to the Group, between 1 June and 5 November, 124ADF attacks resulted in a documented 650 civilian deaths. June was the deadliest month with over 200 deaths reported inBeni,Lubero, and southernIturi territories. Attacks in the Cantine locality and Manguredjipa suffered the most attack, causing heavy civilian displacement.[161] NotableADF factions of Commanders Tabani, Defender, and Braida were the most active, particularly in villages around Mamove, Biakato, and Beu Manyama.[161][174]
It was believed that theAlliance Fleuve Congo-M23 (AFC-M23) coalition attempted to establish an alliance with theADF, with talks beginning in February 2024.[161][177]
Territorial administrator of theLubero Territory, Colonel Alain Kikewa, said on 3 January, 2025 thatFARDC forces were instrumental in maintaining control and calm in the core of Lubero but expressed regret over individuals displaced or in distress due to conflict in the region.[178]
The Taximen en Danger association reported the same day that 31 motorcycle taxi drivers were killed and 48 motorcycles were burned or stolen by both ADF rebels and nonidentifiable attackers throughout 2024. Coordinator Jérôme Malule lamented the deaths and losses of taxi drivers, claimed armed groups use barriers to levy hefty taxes, noted the importance of drivers in the local economy, and called for justice where no public hearing against attackers has been held.[179]
The CRDH reflected onOperation Shujaa on the same day. It noted a relative peace in theIrumu territory, particularly in the Banyali and Bahema Mitego chiefdoms, underscored the existence of the group's stronghold in the Walese Vonkutu chiefdom, found movements towards theMambasa territory, and praised the release of several hostages. CRDH coordinator forIturi, Christophe Muyanderu, found that many operations were, however, "poorly planned," forcing rebels into unsecured areas where populations remained vulnerable, noting the group's movement into theMambasa territory.[180]
The Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) reported than in 2024, there were "84 incidents of violence against or obstruction of health care," down from 118 in 2023 and 136 in 2022. In 2024, eight heath personnel were killed, nine kidnapped, and many supplies looted. The ADF were one of many rebel groups in the region which contributed to these figures.[181]
On 4 January 2025, President of theBeni civil society, Pepin Kavota, welcomed the peace during end-of-year celebrations in and aroundBeni and congratulated the urban security committee. He echoed the sentiment regarding the peace in the region throughout the year of 2024 altogether.Beni urban police spokesperson thankedMONUSCO for their donations of jeeps, fuel, and food.[182]
Fighting along theButembo-Mengurejipa road before the new year caused displacement in the Bapere region of theLubero Territory, whose civil society president, Samuel Kagheni, reportedly forced most individuals from the towns of Byambwe, Nziapanda, and Itenda to flee their homes at the beginning of the year.[170]
Unlike 2024, January indicated a resurgence inADF activities, particularly in theBeni andLubero territories. On January 4, four bodies were found in a forest near Bwanasura village, with eight more found near Otmaber village in the Bandavilemba group on 5 January. Most of those killed were war veterans, withADF rebels suspected to have killed them.[183][184] According to Radio Okapi, the bodies were "already in an advanced state of decomposition" and were buried.[183] On the night of 5 January,ADF rebels attacked the village of Loselose inBeni territory, killing at least five civilians, with many others missing.[185][186]
Visits to the region by military and political officials like MP Emil Saidi Balikwisha andUPDF Head,GeneralMuhoozi Kainerugaba, between 7 and 9 January called for increased military presence in theBeni andLubero territories.[187][188] On 10 January, Humanitarian Coordinator in theDRC for theUnited Nations (UN)Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Bruno Lemarquis, showed a "deep dismay" for the over 100,000 displaced since 1 January due toM23 clashes with theFARDC and attacks from theADF, particularly condemning violence against civilians and humanitarian workers.[189]
On 11 January, three farmers were killed and 12 others kidnapped in the farmlands around the Bapakome-Bakondo village byADF rebels. Attackers also burned homes, with one of three killed being burned alive.[190] The chief of the village pleaded for increased security presence the following day.[191] Witnesses reported seeing ADF rebels occupying farmlands in Kipeyayo, Mawangose, and part of Lahe the afternoon of 11 January.[190]
On 15 January,ADF rebels perpetrated amassacre in Muhangi, killing 32 civilians withmachetes. Several were injured and many went missing during the attack in Makoko, Masakoti, and Mambangu. Residents west of the Bulengya group reportedly gathered belongings and sought refuge in Vusamba, Musienene, Musimba, Kyambogho, Kimbulu, and the town of Butembo.[192][193][194][195] Requests fromKinshasa andKampala influencedUPDF forces to move fromButembo toLubero to respond to the increasedADF activity and 15 January attack, the increased presence, in turn, being said to have secured the region.[196] Nevertheless, on 18 and 19 January,ADF rebels reportedly attacked villages in centralLubero, injuring civilians and inflicting material damage.[197] On the night of 20 January, Municipal President of Ruwenzori commune in the city ofBeni, Clarisse Kavuho Kyamuthika, reported than in the previous 10 days, attacks fromADF rebels near Mikuha left three dead.[198]
National MP Arsène Mwaka echoed calls from Balikwisha, Kainerugaba, and Kyamuthika on 21 January, commenting that joint forces should increase their presence from the south back to the north ofLubero territory, referencing the recent attacks and disappearances.[199] Lemarquis reported on 22 January that over 200,000 displaced individuals had been displaced in the northern territories ofNorth Kivu due to these attacks since June 2024.[200] He and local sources believe that increased focus onM23 left security vacuums benefittingADF rebels.[200][201][202]Rwanda would defend the actions of the M23 Movement by accusing theDRC of ignoring the actions ofADF militants at theUN Security Council's (UNSC) 9842rd meeting on 22 January.[203][204]
ADF rebels were reportedly seen moving near the Batangi-Mbau axis, 25 kilometers north ofBeni.[201] On 24 January, local sources from the Bambuba-Kisiki group,Beni territory, reported than in January, 16 people were killed in attacks byADF rebels, often burning homes in their assaults.[205] On 27 January,ADF rebels executed two tandem attacks along the National Road 4 in the Walesse Vonkutu chiefdom. The first was in the forest near Mambelenga, where nine were killed and one was injured. The second was along the Mungamba-Ndimo axis, where three motocyclists were attacked, one being killed and the other two injured. Rebels set the motorcycles and cargo on fire.[206] On 27 January,ADF rebels kidnapped four individuals from the village of Manjamba,Lubero territory.[197]
On 27 January, theDRC's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs,Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, made a requested for the UNSC to meet regarding the deteriorating situation in Goma.[207] Although the report did not concern the ADF, Wagner reported that over 500,000 individuals had been displaced inNorth andSouth Kivu in January alone at theUN Security Council's meeting on 28 January, which included some ADF activity.[208][209][210]: 17–18 Lemarquis commented on the worsening humanitarian situation, warning that many people will be killed and displaced.[207] UNOCHA's spokesperson said Goma hospitals were overwhelmed and the World Food Program said it had temporarily paused food assistance.[211]
On 30 January,ADF rebels attacked the towns of Katwakasoya, Mataha, and Ndalya in southernIrumu territory, where ten, four, and one person was killed respectively. However, fleeing and missing residents made death tolls inconclusive.[212] TheADF ended the month with an attack on Lumba, located 35km northwest ofButembo, killing 12 civilians in multiple attacks throughout the day of 31 January. Several went missing and searches for bodies were dispatched.[213]
On 31 January,Uganda's Defense Forces announced the that it would adopt a forward defensive posture in theDRC, particularly in theLubero territory where it would join the few presentFARDC positions focused onADF rebels.[214][215][216] On 12 February, the Human Rights Research Convention (CRDH)NGO reported that since 6 January,ADF rebels also carried out attacks along National Road 4 and 10km west of thereof, in the villages of Israël, Kazaroho, Kimautu, Mongee, Kasoko, Apakou, and Apakola. Local witnesses and politicians reported that many people were killed and abducted, but could not yet be recovered due toADF presence.[217]
The beginning of February began with a spree of massacres. According to the CRDH, between 1 February and 4 February, over 100 civilians were killed in southernIrumu,Ituri province. These massacres concluded with multiple attacks on 4 February, whereADF rebels emerged from nearby forests in small groups and fired indiscriminately to create panic in southern Irumu and neighboring towns of Kangatiro, Butumai, and Lulueba in central Idohu. InIrumu, 9 civilians were found dead in fields, killed with knives. In another town nearby,ADF rebels killed 10 people, burned multiple homes, and looted buildings.[218] Between 24 January and 2 February, local sources and survivors of ADF attacks reported that upwards of 121 residents were killed in Mutwanga and their homes looted. Many residents of the village fled by late February.[219]
On 4 February,Uganda deployed over 1,000 additionalUPDF troops, bringing its total to around 5,000 total, following its 31 January statement.[220][221] Around 40 vehicles carrying these troops were seen crossing the border into theDRC by local sources. TheUPDF announced this deployment on 5 February. A meeting betweenFARDC andUPDF military officers deployed in bothIturi andNorth Kivu provinces was scheduled for 12 February in Boga.[222] Around this time, three fatal incidents between Mayi-Safi and Mama-Neema were recorded, whereIEDs detonated along roads. Local sources believe they were planted by theADF.[223] On 7 February,ADF rebels raided variousChristian villages and killed residents inNorth Kivu andIturi Provinces[224] On 10 February, three civilians were killed in the Luna-Samboko village inIturi, directly on the border withBeni,North Kivu.[217]
ADF militants perpetrated theKasanga Massacre on 12 February, where rebels entered the village of Mayuba inLubero Territory,North Kivu and abducted at least 70Christian civilians. The captives were subsequently taken to aProtestant church in the nearby village of Kasanga,North Kivu, where they werebeheaded usingmachetes. The bodies were discovered on 15 February.[225][226] TheFARDC reinsured populations inIturi to continue about their daily business on 17 February, referencing the early February arrival of additional Ugandan troops. TheUPDF andFARDC would begin discussions in theBunia about pooling resources in this southern part of the province.[227] Local residents, however, remained skeptical about motivations considering the precarious situation between theDRC andRwanda, which was discussed at theUNSC's 9863rd Meeting followingM23massacres in Bukavu,North Kivu.[222][228][229] This was also born from aTwitter post published that day byUgandanPresident Museveni's son, Lieutenant GeneralMuhoozi Kainerugaba, threatening to attack and take control of the city ofBunia,Ituri province if "all forces" there did not lay down their arms.Kainerugaba's desire was speculated to be linked to his 11 February post claiming that theBahema ethnic group was being killed. Furthermore,Kainerugaba has expressed an outspoken support forRwandan President,Paul Kagame, who himself has claimed no link between theM23 andRwanda, and calledM23 fighters "brothers of ours" regarding rights for CongoleseTutsis.[230]
On 18 February, along the 72-kilometer Eringeti-Kainama road, in the Lese farmlands, a farmer stepped on anIED, causing injuries which he succumbed to in the Beni General Hospital. Local sources believed the explosive was placed byADF troops, considering militants had been seen crossing this road and others nearby.[223]
On 21 February,UgandanPresident Museveni publicly commented that theUPDF's deployment in theDRC, as Ugandan troops were present inBunia, was solely to fight theADF, and not to combatM23 rebels.[231]
On 24 February, the Walese Vonkutu chiefdom in the southern Irumu territory, Ituri, reported that upwards of 70 people were killed by the ADF since the beginning of the year. It also reported that numerous homes had been burned and systematically looted, hindering local populations from performing their "agricultural activities." Security was especially weak around the Komanda-Luna region. The ADF reportedly occupied ten localities in the area, including Bandiangu, Bandavilemba, Bokutchu, and Bavokutchu.[232] The same day, local sources in Bapere reported suspected the ADF of robbing over 900 animals, including 81 cows, 632 goats,105 sheep, and over 100 chickens from multiple farmers, further disrupting farmers who already feared for security in the area, which they claimed was ADF-occupied.[233] Around 25 February, farmers in Bwanasula, Kidepo, Machongani, Apende, Ndalya, Samboko, Mutweyi, Masongo, Mambelenga, and Ndimbo claimed to fear for their lives following clashes between the FARDC and ADF. The FARDC had military barriers placed in many of these villages. Farmers reported being harassed by both the military and the ADF.[234] On 28 February, a briefing byStéphane Dujarric, Spokesman to UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, noted the increase in ADF attacks. Based on reports from local sources, the ADF killed 23 civilians and kidnapped others in numerous villages in Ituri between 25 and 26 February. That day, 26 February, 17 civilians were killed in Beni territory.[235]
On 27 February, local sources reported that around 30,000 displaced households had been without assistance for upwards of four years, fleeing atrocities primarily perpetrated by the ADF. Most came from the Walese Vonkutu and the Mambasa territories, and some others from North Kivu. They believed that these areas were the epicenter of ADF activity, which forced many households to leave and many others not to have access to their fields.[236]
On 22 March, it was reported that Ugandan intelligence indicated an alliance pact between theCooperative for the Development of Congo (CODECO) Lendu militant rebels and theADF.[237][238] This was a notably surprising event considering theADF have historically not worked with another other groups, other rebels included.[238]
Between 31 March and 1 April, war criminal,Thomas Lubanga, native of theIturi province, announced that a new political and militant rebel group had formed inIturi, called theConvention for the Popular Revolution (CPL).[239][240][241][242]Lubanga was convicted of recruiting child soldiers, an internationally recognized war crime[e] by theInternational Criminal Court (ICC) in 2012, but was released and appointment as an peacemaking task force emissary inIturi byCongolese PresidentFélix Tshisekedi in 2020.[240][242][243] In 2022, he was captured by a rebel group for approximately 2 months, after which he sought refuge inKampala,Uganda.[240]Lubanga reported that armed militants were present in three areas of the province. The number of fighters Lubanga controlled was unclear.[240][244] It is believed that this development could bring further instability in the region asFARDC,UPDF, and JointOperation Shujaa forces deal with unrelentingADF attacks and majorM23 advances.[239][241][245] Furthermore, formerUgandan funding for Lubanga'sUnion of Congolese Patriots (UPC) during theUPC's military interventions in theSecond Congo War could complicate their involvement in the region.[242][246] TheCPL launched its first offensives in the early weeks of August 2025, during which 18 people were caught between heavy gunfire and killed.[245]
ADF rebels attacked theMambasa,Ituri mining area 5km off of the PK23 road during the night between 5 and 6 April. Rebels attacked farmers with machetes and light arms, killing three and injuring others. They were seen escaping with hostages. Civilians in the peripheries moved into Mambasa-centre and Mayuano, both of which were reportedly secured by local police forces. The CRDH claims local populations alerted authorities of rebel presence in the area a month prior, but no security was provided. Territorial secretary and human rights advocate claimed ADF rebels set up tents in Mendimendi and Mandondo for the sake of establishing a camp or stronghold.[247] On 9 April, 21RPG-7 rockets were destroyed in the town of Boga,Irumu territory,Ituri by thedeminingAfrica for Mine Action (AFRILAM) NGO. They were identified to have been buried for over a year near an FARDC camp within Boga. AFRILAM urged citizens to watch for more explosives as they were in the areas and others nearby when the ADF were active.[248]
On 4 June, two people, including asuicide bomber, are killed near aRoman Catholic shrine inKampala,Uganda, onUgandaMartyrs' Day.Police attribute the bombing toAllied Democratic Forces rebels.[193]
JointOperation Shujaa forces reportedly began launching precision strikes and heavy artillery shells at the infamous Madina camp on the morning of 6 July.[249][250] On 10 July, theUPDF claimed to have captured theADF's primary camp, located in Apakwang,Ituri province at the time.[250][251][252] It was believed to have hosted between 1,000 and 1,500 fighters and dependents, which had consolidated six other camps into its structure in 2024.[161][250][251] Col. Chris Magezi, assistant to the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen.Muhoozi Kainerugaba, said that joint forces were in pursuit of fleeingADF rebels, which moved westwards.[253] Although the attack was said to be a landmark achievement inOperation Shujaa,ADF rebels mostly managed to escape. No casualty or capture numbers were published. Joint forces' pursuit also aimed to search for hostages and better understand theADF's logistical systems, physical and not.[250] TheArmed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED)NGO's August report believed that the success of this operation could be attributed to the increasedUPDF troop deployments. The same report found that the most active ADF cell in 2025 was under the Commander Ahmad Mahmood Hassan (alias Abwakasi).[251]
TheADF perpetrated theKomanda massacre on 27 July, when rebels arriving fromMount Hoyo, likely led by Commander Seka Umaru, killed 43 civilians in the Saint AnuariteCatholic church.[251]
Three people are killed in Idohu on 2 August. Around 7 p.m. local time, rebels armed withlight arms andmachetes fired in all directions in the village. Rebels were seen breaking down doors and raiding homes during the attack. TheFARDC responded to notifications from local residents and a clash with rebels and the armed forces ensued. Bodies were recovered in the Walesse Vonkutu chiefdom. Searches for more bodies continued on the nearby mountain called "Israel."[194][254]
On 8 September, ADF militants perpetrated theNtoyo massacre.
In early September, a group of national deputies filed a petition toimpeach several members of both parliamentary houses, including Assembly PresidentVital Kamerhe and Senate presidentJean-Michel Sama Lukonde.[258] It was led by currentUnion for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) and formerUnion for the Congolese Nation (UNC) member,Crispin Mbidule.[259][260] On 15 September, the petition was submitted with 262 signatures.[260][261][262] The following day, 16 September, Epenge followed up on the discussions by accusing the ruling parliamentary party, theSacred Union of the Nation, of neglecting Congolese citizens massacred and abducted by ADF rebels in the eastern Congo among other issues.[263]
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