security 3 April 2026 The Observer (Uganda)
ADF Rebels Slaughter 43 Civilians in DRC's Mambasa Territory
Suspected ADF rebels killed at least 43 civilians in a brutal attack on Bafwakao village in Ituri Province's Mambasa Territory, eastern DRC, destroying homes and vehicles. The incident has drawn criticism of the military's delayed response amid a surge in rebel violence. Source: https://observer.ug/news/adf-rebels-kill-43-civilians-in-drc
Suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels launched a deadly assault on Bafwakao village, the administrative center of Bafwakao groupement in Mambasa Territory, Ituri Province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The attack unfolded from Wednesday evening into early Thursday along National Road Number 4, roughly 148 km from Mambasa towards Kisangani.
The Congolese army (FARDC) confirmed 43 civilian deaths, with 44 houses, a dump truck, and five motorcycles torched. Lt Jules Ngongo Tshikudi, FARDC spokesperson for Ituri, labeled the attack barbaric, vowing intensified operations to neutralize ADF networks and urging public vigilance.
Local criticism mounted over the security response. Civil society leader Yuma Mungeni noted the assault started at 5:00 pm but troops arrived two hours later. Resident Jospin Paluku Mbowa decried the rebels’ unchecked movement, demanding swift action.
This strike follows a wave of ADF violence, including 50 deaths at Muchacha gold mine earlier in March 2026. UN Deputy High Commissioner Nada Al-Nashif reported over 260 killings and mass displacement by ADF since October 2025 across eastern provinces.
Originally a Ugandan group from 1995, ADF now operates from DRC, aligned with Islamic State since 2017 and listed as terrorists by Uganda and the US, infamous for civilian massacres despite joint Uganda-DRC operations since 2021.
Source: The Observer (Uganda)