DR Congo: 69 Killed in Fresh Militia Attacks

At least 69 people have been killed in a series of coordinated militia attacks in the Ituri province in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (Ituri Province), according to local and security sources.

The violence, carried out in late April, has been linked to fighters of the CODECO militia, who are accused of launching retaliatory assaults following earlier clashes involving the Convention for the Popular Revolution (CRP) and Congolese army forces (Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

The attacks unfolded in a region long plagued by instability, where armed groups continue to battle for control of mineral-rich land containing gold and other valuable resources. The conflict is deeply rooted in ethnic tensions between the Lendu farming community and the Hema pastoral group.

Civil society leaders report that the recovery of victims has been severely delayed due to insecurity, with only a portion of the bodies buried so far. Local accounts suggest the death toll may exceed official figures, with some reports indicating more than 70 fatalities, including civilians, militia members, and soldiers.

A humanitarian source described scenes of devastation, with bodies left scattered in affected villages before recovery efforts could begin. The United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) confirmed it evacuated nearly 200 civilians during initial fighting and strongly condemned the repeated attacks on civilians.

UN officials have also reported a wider surge in violence across eastern Congo, including nearby regions such as North Kivu, where dozens more civilians have recently been killed amid ongoing insecurity.

The unrest is part of a broader, decades-long conflict in eastern DR Congo driven by competition over mineral wealth, weak governance, and the presence of multiple armed groups, including CODECO, ADF, and M23. The situation has left millions displaced and continues to overwhelm both national forces and international peacekeeping efforts.

Humanitarian agencies warn that continued clashes are worsening an already critical crisis, with entire communities fleeing and security forces stretched thin across multiple active conflict zones.

Despite regional military cooperation efforts, insecurity persists, leaving civilians exposed to repeated cycles of retaliation, ethnic violence, and militia activity in one of Africa’s most volatile regions.