By RFIPosted on 31-12-2019Changed on 31-12-2019 at 01:28

A new massacre on the night of Sunday to Monday, December 30, in the territory of Beni, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Twenty civilians were killed. The attack was allegedly carried out with knives by the militias of the Ugandan rebel group ADF.

It happened in Apetina-Sana, 16 km west of Oicha, capital of Beni territory, on national road number 4, in what the locals call the "triangle of death", Mbau-Eringeti-Oicha. Representatives of civil society claim to have warned, since the evening before, of the presence of armed men and accuse, once again, the security forces of having done nothing.

Joined by RFI, the administrator of the territory of Beni, Donat Kibwana, believes that even if this attack is regrettable, the Armed Forces of the DRC are doing everything they can.

“ They came overnight to kill the people, eighteen people. We were informed in the morning. It's hard. The people who had stayed there have just moved. The enemy has long been in Beni. He knows all the ways, all the ways of Beni and therefore, when the soldiers go on the offensive, the enemy sneaks in. It is a dramatic and unfortunate situation, but the military is carrying out a considerable operation and the enemy is at its last breath, "he said.

Since the end of October and the start of the massive operations launched by the Congolese army against the militia, attacks against civilians have multiplied and the massive deployment of the Congolese army in the region has not prevented the rebels from carrying out new attacks.

According to Teddy Kataliko, head of civil society in Beni, the ADF militias have changed zones since the start of the military offensive. “ The enemy who operated much further east, now operates in the western part where the population had found refuge. The ADF is trying to disperse the efforts of the armies, taking the population as a human shield, "he explains.

Since November 28, the chief of staff of the DRC has moved to Beni to be as close as possible to the fighting. In the region, the military force is said to have almost doubled, from 11,000 to 21,000 soldiers.

    On the same subject

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