Recent reports from authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) confirm that an armed group wielding machetes and guns has carried out attacks on villages, resulting in the deaths of at least 23 individuals in the eastern region of the country.
The tragic incidents occurred in the Djugu territory within the Ituri province over the span of Thursday and Friday.
According to two local community leaders quoted by Reuters, the perpetrators behind these brutal attacks were identified as the Cooperative for the Development of the Congo (CODECO).
CODECO is just one of the numerous militias that are actively involved in the conflict-ridden east of the DRC.
Vital Tungulo, the president of Djugu’s Nyali-Kilo community, revealed, “The majority of the victims were subjected to machete attacks, with those attempting to flee being shot. Homes were set ablaze, and personal belongings were looted across these villages.”
Although the exact motive behind the assaults remains unclear, it is widely believed that militia violence in Congo is predominantly driven by longstanding power struggles and the desire to control the region’s abundant mineral resources.
The United Nations peacekeeping mission reported a deterioration in the human rights situation in Ituri since the start of the year due to a surge in CODECO-led attacks.
According to the study, CODECO and another militia group known as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) are primarily responsible for the ongoing civilian massacres in the eastern part of the DRC.
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Jules Ngongo Tshikudi, a spokesperson for the DRC army in Ituri, condemned the attacks as unacceptable. Efforts to reach out to CODECO for their response to the recent events were reportedly unsuccessful, as per Reuters.
Local leader Daniel Anikumu mentioned that burials for the deceased have commenced, with 11 individuals being interred in a mass grave in the village of Gangala.
