At least eight civilians were tragically killed in an attack on a health center in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday, according to reports from locals. The incident took place in the North Kivu province and was attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces militia, which has ties to the Islamic State group.
Beni territory civil society leader Omar Kalisia confirmed the death toll, which included patients and staff at the health center. One nurse was reported missing, and a house was set ablaze during the attack. This comes in the wake of a joint military operation between the DRC and Uganda against the Allied Democratic Forces, which has yet to yield successful results.
The violence in the region has been escalating, with recent attacks on a camp for displaced people and a village in neighboring provinces. Social affairs minister Modeste Mutinga Mutushayi revealed that the death toll from the camp attack has risen to 35, with many more injured. The U.S. government has pointed fingers at Rwanda and the M23 rebel group for these atrocities, though Rwanda has denied any involvement.
In a separate incident on May 7, a bombing in South Kivu province claimed the lives of seven individuals and left six others wounded. Authorities have also linked this attack to the M23 rebel group, which has been gaining control of significant portions of the DRC since resuming its armed campaign in 2021. The situation remains volatile, with the local population living in fear of further violence.
