On March 12, 2023, jihadists from the Allied Democratic Forces (also known as ISCAP) attacked the village of Kirindera, Beni Territory, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing nineteen civilians. The massacre occurred days after the Mukondi massacre, where the ADF/ISCAP killed around forty civilians,
| Kirindera massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of Allied Democratic Forces insurgency and Kivu conflict | |
| Location | Kirindera, Beni Territory, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Date | March 12, 2023 1am |
| Deaths | 19 |
| Injured | Unknown |
| Perpetrator |  ISCAP |
Background
editThe Allied Democratic Forces, an extremist Islamist militant group based near in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, officially pledged bay'ah to the Islamic State in 2018, with IS claiming responsibility for ADF attacks in 2019. The ADF eventually formed to become the Islamic State – Central Africa Province (ISCAP), and attacked civilians en masse in North Kivu.[1]
The Kirindera massacre came as part of a larger campaign by ISCAP in early 2023 to attack civilians in Beni Territory. Days before the massacre, around forty civilians were killed in the Mukondi massacre.[2]
Massacre
editThe massacre began at 1am local time on March 12, 2023.[3] In the attack, the jihadists first targeted a health center where they killed two people before moving onto the reception center of a motel where civilians were hiding.[4][2] Eleven civilians were killed in the motel.[5] In the valley where they jihadists entered the village from, two more people were killed.[5] The health center, hotel, and many civilian homes and five cars were also burnt by the jihadists.[5] Congolese officials stated that nineteen people were killed in the massacre, and an unknown number more were kidnapped by ISCAP.[2]
The mayor of Kirindera, Joachim Vyaghulua, stated that he coordinated a FARDC intervention during the massacre.[5]
References
edit- ^ Candland, Tara; Finck, Adam; Ingram, Haroro J.; Poole, Laren; Vidino, Lorenzo; Weiss, Caleb (March 2021). "The Islamic State in Congo" (PDF). The George Washington University Program on Extremism. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
- ^ a b c "At least 19 people killed in Congo by suspected extremists". AP News. 2023-03-12. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "Suspected Islamist militants kill 19 in another village raid in east Congo". Reuters. March 13, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
- ^ "ADF rebels kill 17 in east DR Congo". New Vision. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ a b c d "RDC: 19 morts et un centre de santé saccagé lors d'une attaque ADF à Kirindera près de Kyondo". Actualite.cd (in French). 2023-03-12. Retrieved 2024-09-09.