Over 1,400 civilians in DR Congo killed despite state of siege: Official

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) – Massacres of civilians blamed on Ugandan rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) have continued in restive provinces of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo despite the declaration of a state of siege, a provincial lawmaker said Sunday.

DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi proclaimed a “state of siege” in May in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, replacing senior civilian officials there with army officers in a bid to curb growing insecurity.

However, a total of 1,459 people have been killed in attacks attributed to the ADF since the state of siege was declared in the two provinces, said Jean-Paul Ngahangondi, a member of parliament in North Kivu.

Another 357 civilians are missing and 45 vehicles and 402 homes have been burnt by the ADF during the state of siege, added Ngahangondi, who represents the territory of Beni.

“These atrocities mainly took place in Beni territory in North Kivu and Irumu in Ituri,” he said.

Ngahangondi said the state of siege will remain a “joke” as long as major operations to hunt down the rebels are not launched in the two provinces.

At least eight civilians were killed in the latest attack blamed on the ADF in Beni on Friday.

On Sunday, lawmakers from North Kivu and Ituri threatened to boycott the next plenary session on the examination of the draft law authorizing the extension of the state of siege for the 11th time since May, arguing that "all the extensions no longer make sense, as they do not bring results.”

In addition, the lawmakers demand that military governors be dismissed because they are "incapable" of managing the security forces under their jurisdiction.

In August, President Tshisekedi authorized US counterterrorism experts to support government forces in rooting out the ADF from the eastern Congo.

The US in March this year placed the ADF on its list of terrorist organizations affiliated with Daesh/ISIS.