African Union condemns massacres of civilians in Democratic Republic of Congo

On June 17, the African Union (AU) condemned the “massacres” in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that left 150 people dead this month.

AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said he was "appalled by the increasing massacres of innocent civilians" by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), in Beni and Lubero in North Kivu province.

“The Chairperson of the Commission strongly condemns the attacks that have claimed the lives of 150 people since the beginning of June,” the AU said in a statement.

Mr. Mahamat encouraged "the Congolese government, in coordination with countries in the region, to intensify efforts to limit the spread of the terrorist threat in the African Great Lakes region."

He also reiterated the AU's "continued commitment to the countries of the Great Lakes region in the fight against terrorism."

The June attacks were believed to have been carried out by the ADF, which has been active in eastern DRC for decades and in 2019 pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS), which considers the ADF its central African branch.

Since late 2021, Congolese and Ugandan troops have been conducting joint operations against the ADF in North Kivu and neighboring Ituri province, but have so far failed to prevent attacks that have caused numerous civilian casualties.