ADF targets Lubero and Beni Territory in the DRC

9/29/2025 DRC (International Christian Concern) — The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terrorist group carried out several attacks on Sept. 23, targeting the villages of Kasanga, Kingi, and Fungula-Macho near Maiba in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

At least six people lost their lives in the violence: four in Kasanga and two in Fungula-Macho.

Two other people were wounded during the assaults. Local sources say the death toll is provisional, as access to certain areas, including the village of Kingi, is difficult because of security concerns. All three villages are about six miles from Maiba.

Eyewitnesses and local representatives said homes were set ablaze during the attacks, leaving families displaced and property destroyed. In Kasanga, local youth self-defense forces known as Wazalendo mobilized quickly to confront the rebels, preventing further losses and destruction.

“This resistance helped to limit the damage,” said a member of the local civil society. “If the Wazalendo had not acted quickly, the number of deaths would have been much higher. Still, the fear remains, because the rebels can strike again at any time, and people no longer feel safe even in their own homes.”

On Wednesday, security sources described a widespread atmosphere of panic and trauma among residents, many of whom searched for safety. A total breakdown was averted thanks to the intervention of national armed forces (FARDC), supported by the Wazalendo, who continue to pursue the rebels, according to one Maiba official.

The victims were buried on Wednesday, September 24, by Red Cross volunteers in Kasanga and Fungula-Macho. Meanwhile, the neighboring village of Kingi remains inaccessible, and no casualty figures have been confirmed.

“That village was entirely burned by the ADF rebels,” one community leader said. “We still don’t know where the survivors have gone, or if they are even alive. Families are scattered, children are missing, and people are hiding in the bush. The destruction is total, and the suffering is beyond words.”

This was not the only incident involving the ADF that day. On the same evening, another deadly ambush occurred in Miliese, a village along the Mbau–Mantumbi road in Beni territory, also in North Kivu. Two civilians were killed, and a motorcycle was set on fire.

The ADF, also known as the Islamic State Central Africa Province, is among the most dangerous militant movements in the DRC. The group has the closest ties to an extremist jihadist ideology and is the deadliest militant group in the DRC.