Ugandan Rebel Attack in Eastern Congo Kills 16

Xinhua News Agency, Kinshasa, June 1 (Reporter Shi Yu) The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) issued a statement on June 1, saying that the Ugandan rebel group "Allied Democratic Forces" attacked a neighborhood in the city of Beni, North Kivu Province, eastern DRC, on May 31, resulting in 16 deaths.

The statement said the attack occurred in the northern part of Beni. According to local department reports, the victims included 15 civilians and 1 soldier, and several civilian homes were damaged in the attack.

The statement emphasized that combating the "Allied Democratic Forces" remains the "absolute priority" of the DRC government. The DRC military is pursuing the attackers and taking necessary measures to enhance civilian protection.

After being defeated by the Ugandan government in the late 1990s, the "Allied Democratic Forces" fled to eastern DRC, which borders Uganda. In addition to conducting activities against the Ugandan government, the "Allied Democratic Forces" frequently attack the DRC military, civilians, and the United Nations peacekeeping forces stationed in DRC. In recent years, there have been signs of convergence between the "Allied Democratic Forces" and the extremist group "Islamic State," which views the former as its Central African branch and occasionally "claims" attacks carried out by the "Allied Democratic Forces" on social media.

The security situation in eastern DRC is severe, with multiple local armed groups and foreign rebel forces operating in the area. The DRC government has been enforcing a state of emergency in North Kivu Province and Ituri Province since the end of April 2021.