On December 31, 2020, jihadist militants from the Islamic State affiliate Allied Democratic Forces[note 1] attacked the village of Tingwe, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, killing at least thirty people. Several other civilians were kidnapped as well.
| Tingwe massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of Allied Democratic Forces insurgency in the Kivu conflict | |
| Location | Tingwe, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Date | December 31, 2020 |
| Deaths | 30+ |
| Victims | Several kidnapped |
| Perpetrator |  Allied Democratic Forces |
Background
editThe Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a jihadist group based in Uganda and the DRC, established contact with the Islamic State to become the Islamic State's Central African Province (ISCAP) in 2017.[1] Tingwe has been the target of previous massacres by the ADF as it sits within an area known as the triangle of death: a tri-point between Eringeti, Kamando, and Mbau.[2] It takes an hour to drive the sixty kilometers to Tingwe from Beni, the closest large city.[2] In 2016, ADF militants attacked Tingwe, which at that time had a population of 350 people, and beheaded and massacred many of the residents, killing seventeen people.[2]
Massacre
editResidents of Tingwe were in their fields preparing for New Year's Eve celebrations when ADF militants killed and kidnapped them.[3] A representative of a civil society in Tingwe stated residents had alerted the Congolese army that ADF militants were in the area, passing from the east to the northeast near Eringeti.[4] The representative to the governor in North Kivu stated that at least twenty-five people were killed and an unknown number were kidnapped, although survivors stated at least thirty people were killed. Many of the residents were beheaded, the modus operandi of the ADF.[5]
Aftermath and reactions
editOn January 5, 2021, ADF militants attacked the village of Mwenda in Beni Territory, killing twenty-two civilians in a similar manner to Tingwe.[6]
Former governor of Katanga Moïse Katumbi condemned the massacre.[7] UN secretary general António Guterres condemned the massacre on January 7, 2021.[8]
Notes
edit- ^ Also known as the Islamic State - Central Africa Province (ISCAP).
References
edit- ^ Weiss, Caleb; O'Farrell, Ryan; Candland, Tara; Poole, Laren (June 1, 2023). "Fatal Transaction: The Funding Behind the Islamic State's Central Africa Province" (PDF). George Washington University Program on Extremism. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ a b c "DR Congo's Béni becomes a ghost town after massacre". The Observers - France 24. 2016-05-31. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
- ^ "At least 25 killed in east DR Congo, ADF militia blamed". New Vision. January 1, 2021. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
- ^ "DR Congo rebels kill farmers – DW – 01/01/2021". dw.com. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
- ^ "DR Congo army says lost two soldiers, killed 14 ADF fighters". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
- ^ "RDC-Beni : une autre attaque violente des combattants ADF fait 22 morts à Mwenda". Actualite.cd (in French). 2021-01-05. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
- ^ "RDC : Katumbi suggère qu'une solution définitive soit trouvée pour " anéantir les tueurs et pacifier durablement " l'est du pays". Actualite.cd (in French). 2021-01-03. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
- ^ "Guterres 'shocked' at massacre of civilians in eastern DR Congo | UN News". news.un.org. 2021-01-07. Retrieved 2024-06-21.