BUNIA: Eight farmers were killed in an attack by suspected members of the Cooperative for the Development of the Congo (CODECO) on Sunday, targeting three villages in the northeast Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The attack took place around 5:00 am in the Djugu district of Ituri province. The attackers set fire to homes and plundered livestock, said Adubango Kivia, a local official.
The militiamen “operated calmly,” Kivia added, and called on Congolese soldiers to deploy and “secure the population and bring an end to massacres” in the area.
The attack is the latest in a series of deadly incidents in the DRC, where dozens of armed groups operate in the country’s eastern regions. CODECO has been accused of multiple massacres in the area, including a recent attack that killed over 40 people in April.
The group claims to be protecting the Lendu community from other ethnic groups and the DRC army.
Ituri province is one of the most violence-prone regions in the DRC, with attacks claiming dozens of lives being routine. The Hema, who are supported by the Zaire militia, have been pitted against the Lendu community in the region, leading to a series of retaliatory attacks.
The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militant group linked to the Islamic State jihadist organization, is also active in the area.
UN peacekeeping forces in DR Congo
The violence has prompted the United Nations to send peacekeeping forces to the region, but they have struggled to quell the unrest. President Felix Tshisekedi has also tried to address the issue by launching a campaign to disarm militia groups, but progress has been slow.
The recent attack on farmers is yet another example of the ongoing violence and instability in the DRC, which has left thousands of people dead and displaced millions over the years.
The country has struggled to establish a stable government and maintain control over its vast territory, which has made it a target for various militant groups.
