By Yassin Kombi
BUTEMBO, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Reuters) – At least seven people were killed in unrest in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s North Kivu province, local officials said on Saturday, after people took to the streets to protest a rise in deadly attacks by suspected Islamist rebels.
The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group affiliated with the Islamic State, are alleged to have killed more than 40 people in an attack on the village of Mayikengo this week and more than 80 in attacks on other villages in the province last week. former.
Insecurity has fueled public frustration, leading to the deaths of two soldiers and their driver in Lubero territory by a crowd who set their vehicle on fire overnight on Friday, local official Julio Mabanga told Reuters.
On Saturday, fresh clashes in the area between security forces and local residents led to the deaths of three more people: a civilian, a soldier and an ANR national intelligence service agent, Mabanga said.
A similar protest broke out in the city of Butembo on Saturday, with hundreds of young people taking to the streets wielding sticks, shouting and singing songs to denounce widespread insecurity, according to a Reuters journalist.
“I am here at this roundabout, blocking the road. We sympathize with our murdered compatriots,” said Daniel Sivanzire Paluku, one of the protesters, who said they needed to block the roads to control who was coming and going.
Butembo Mayor Mowa Baeki Telly confirmed that one civilian was killed during clashes between security forces and protesters in the city.
The ADF has its origins in neighboring Uganda, but is now based in mineral-rich eastern Congo. It has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and stages frequent attacks, further destabilizing a region where many militant groups compete for influence and resources.
The ADF could not be contacted for comment on the attacks.
The U.S.-based SITE intelligence group, which monitors militant websites, said on Friday that Islamic State had released statements from its so-called Central Africa Province division claiming responsibility for the deaths of 51 people in attacks. in North Kivu this week. He also claimed to have beheaded more than 60 people in a single attack in the province on June 7.