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A militia onslaught killed astatine slightest 69 radical successful Ituri state successful the conflict-torn northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), section and information sources told AFP connected Saturday (May 9, 2026).
For much than 30 years the mineral-rich eastbound DRC has been a battleground betwixt assorted equipped groups, vying for power of its galore mines.
Two taste groups — the Hema and the Lendu — person been locked successful a long-running convulsive struggle successful Ituri, a gold-rich state that borders Uganda and South Sudan.
Armed men affiliated with the Codeco militia (Cooperative for the Development of Congo), which claims to support the Lendu, carried retired attacks successful respective villages connected April 28, section and information sources told AFP, sidesplitting astatine slightest 69 people.
These attacks followed an earlier battle by different equipped group, the Convention for the Popular Revolution (CRP) — which says it fights for the Hema assemblage — connected positions held by the Congolese Army (FARDC) adjacent the locality of Pimbo, they said.
More than 70 radical were killed erstwhile Codeco fighters launched the retaliatory attacks successful precocious April, civilian nine person Dieudonne Losa told AFP.
On information of anonymity, 2 different information sources confirmed the attacks, with 1 stating a decease toll of astatine slightest 69, including 19 militia members and soldiers.
The beingness of Codeco fighters delayed the betterment of the bodies for respective days, they said.
"Only 25 bodies person been buried," Losa said Saturday, adding respective sets of remains had yet to beryllium recovered.
A humanitarian root described bodies "strewn connected the ground" adjacent the colony of Bassa, 1 of the areas targeted.
Avoiding retaliation
The United Nations' ngo successful the DRC (MONUSCO) said connected April 30 it had rescued "nearly 200 radical caught nether fire" from the CRP battle connected the FARDC.
On Saturday (May 9), it said it "strongly condemns the caller question of deadly attacks targeting civilians" successful the restive east.
The Ente association, a non-profit representing the Hema community, described the killings arsenic a "massacre", urging its members to debar retaliation.
Famous for its mineral wealth, ranging from cobalt and copper to uranium and diamonds, the erstwhile Belgian colony has agelong been beset by corruption and bloodshed.
Since aboriginal 2025, Ituri has seen a resurgence of the CRP, a radical founded by convicted Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga.
He was recovered blameworthy successful 2012 by the International Criminal Court for recruiting children into his rebel service and released successful 2020 connected completion of his situation sentence.
Fighting betwixt the CRP, the Congolese Army, and the Codeco militia has been marked by wide abuses and killings of civilians.
The portion besides faces ongoing attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a radical formed by erstwhile Ugandan rebels that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State.
The state has been plunged into a humanitarian crisis, with astir 1 cardinal internally displaced people, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
