ADAF militants kill 33 in Congo raid, forcing Ebola patients to flee

Islamic State-linked militants from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) carried out a deadly overnight raid on the village of Cantine-Aloyath in North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo. The attack, which occurred around 11 p.m. local time on Thursday, resulted in the deaths of at least 33 civilians. The violence has further destabilised the region, which is currently grappling with a severe Ebola outbreak, by forcing patients with confirmed and suspected infections to flee their homes and medical facilities.

The assault targeted a community located approximately 50 km west of Beni, a known hotspot for the epidemic. According to local authorities and civil society leaders, the militants set fire to a health post and numerous residential structures. Colonel Charles Omeonga, the territorial administrator of Beni, stated that the ADF fighters killed civilians and destroyed property. He noted that establishing a precise death toll has been difficult due to heavy rain, which hampered military operations and subsequent investigations. However, Tchetche Aliamini, a local civil society leader, reported that 33 bodies had been recovered. Most of the victims showed signs of gunshot wounds, while others had been killed by fire or hacked with machetes.

The raid had immediate and severe consequences for the public health response in the area. Christian Kakule Vulembera, the head doctor at a nearby hospital, confirmed that patients fled the facility during the attack. Among those who escaped were one individual with a confirmed Ebola diagnosis and five people with suspected cases, including three classified as high-risk contacts. This displacement threatens to accelerate the spread of the virus, as patients are no longer under medical monitoring or isolation.

Background

The ADF is a rebel group with origins in Uganda that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019. The organisation has long operated in the border region between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it routinely targets civilians. The current violence is part of a broader pattern of insecurity in the east of the country, where roughly 100 other rebel groups are active. The most prominent among these is the M23, which is backed by Rwanda and has recently seized key cities in the eastern region.

The timing of the attack coincides with a critical phase of an Ebola outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus. North Kivu province has emerged as one of the epicentres of this epidemic, accounting for half of all new infections recorded in the country. Authorities have documented more than 10,000 cases and over 5,000 deaths across the Democratic Republic of Congo. This outbreak is described as the fastest-spreading in history. Previous incidents of mass violence have also impacted the region; in July 2025, the ADF killed 66 people in eastern Congo in an incident the United Nations characterised as a "bloodbath." The ongoing conflict has consistently hampered efforts to contain the disease, as security concerns prevent healthcare workers from reaching affected communities and patients from seeking timely treatment.

Why it matters

The attack represents a significant failure of security in a region already under immense strain from the health crisis. Justin Paluku, head of a local civil society group, described the incident as incomprehensible given the number of loyalist and security forces deployed in the area. He stated that it was unclear how the enemy managed to bypass defences to inflict such significant human and material casualties. The destruction of more than 50 houses and the killing of 33 people have forced villagers to flee to other parts of the province, where the Ebola outbreak is raging. This displacement complicates contact tracing and isolation efforts, potentially leading to further transmission of the virus. The combination of armed conflict and a major epidemic creates a humanitarian crisis where security failures directly undermine public health interventions, putting the lives of thousands at risk.

What happens next

Military and security forces are currently conducting operations in the area, though their efforts have been slowed by adverse weather conditions. Authorities are working to establish a definitive death toll and investigate the extent of the damage. The displacement of Ebola patients means that health officials must now track these individuals in new locations to prevent further spread. There is no stated timeline for the restoration of security in Cantine-Aloyath or for the resumption of normal healthcare services in the immediate vicinity of the attack.