At 2am on March 15, 2021, jihadists from the Allied Democratic Forces (also known as the Islamic State – Central Africa Province) attacked the town of Bulongo, Beni Territory, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing 15 people.
| 2021 Bulongo massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of Allied Democratic Forces insurgency and Kivu conflict | |
| Location | Bulongo, Beni Territory, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Date | March 15, 2021 2am |
| Deaths | 15+ |
| Perpetrator |  Islamic State - Central Africa Province |
Background
editThe Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan Islamist rebel group that is active in northeastern DRC, declared bay'ah to the Islamic State in 2019 and officially became the Islamic State's Central Africa Province.[1] Since the merging to ISCAP, the group targeted civilians more often in deadly massacres throughout North Kivu.[2] The town of Bulongo itself had been attacked several times by the ADF/ISCAP, killing over 70 people and kidnapping 40. In 2021, the group began slaughtering everyone above the age of 15.[2]
Massacre
editThe ADF attacked Bulongo with machetes and pickaxes, slaughtering everyone they saw.[3] The massacre began at around 2am in the Mutilipi district of the city, and MONUSCO stated it had sent reinforcements to the area to stop the massacre.[4] Many of the slain civilians were beheaded and their bodies were gutted.[4] The following day, locals and survivors protested against Congolese forces and MONUSCO for not preventing the attack, and one protester was killed and one was injured by bullets.[5]
The Kivu Security Tracker attributed the attack to the ADF, and the Islamic State claimed it later.[6] At least fifteen people were killed.[3]
References
edit- ^ "At least 20 dead in new DR Congo massacre". Africanews. 2022-06-06. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
- ^ a b "ISIS-linked ADF inflicts genocidal massacres in DRC". genocidewatch. 2023-08-12. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
- ^ a b "At least a dozen killed in eastern DR Congo attack". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
- ^ a b "DR Congo: At least 15 killed in attack on villagers". Africanews. 2021-03-15. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
- ^ "15 Massacred in East DR Congo, ADF Militia Suspected". The Defense Post. 2021-03-15. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
- ^ "Kenya and DRC Sign Defense Pact to Cooperate Against Islamic State". jamestown.org. Retrieved 2024-09-12.