Geneva/Kinshasa — The armed group known as Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) has intensified its attacks against civilians in the eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the last 18 months, expanding its actions beyond areas in which it previously operated. These attacks, which have left more than 1,000 people dead and dozens of others injured, may amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes, according to a UN investigation.
The ADF has been militarily active in Beni territory, in North Kivu province, for more than three decades. But following military campaigns against the armed group, particularly since October 2019, ADF combatants dispersed into small groups and some of these groups fled to other areas, especially to Irumu territory in neighbouring Ituri province, where the number and the intensity of the attacks have increased significantly.
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