DRC: Attack on military convoy kills one near Beni (North Kivu) Oct. 18

Event

On Wednesday, October 18, militants attacked a military convoy on the road between the towns of Mbau and Kamango, near Beni (North-Kivu), killing one soldier and injuring several others. According to local sources, the military is blaming the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan rebel group active along the DRC-Ugandan border, for the attack.

Context

Beni has become one of the most violent areas in the DRC. According to the Congo Research Group, a wave of killings - for the most part machete attacks - has resulted in an estimated death toll of over 800 since the current wave of violence began in October 2014; 180,000 people have also been displaced during this period. Most of this violence has been blamed on the ADF, which is based in the Beni region. However, while the ADF is accountable for many of the violent attacks, other militia groups and at times even the military themselves are behind the violence. MONUSCO and government forces regularly conduct operations in a bid to neutralize rebel groups in the area, where violent clashes between various rebel groups and government forces, as well as between rival groups, are common.

Advice

Those present in North Kivu are advised to avoid the Beni region and monitor the situation.

More generally, a number of Western governments advise their citizens against travel to the east and northeast of the country due to poor security conditions, including the presence of armed groups and a high risk of kidnapping. Professional security advice should be sought prior to travel.