New Year’s Tragedy in Lubero: ADF Attacks Leave 15 Dead, Communities Reeling in Eastern DRC

Introduction

The dawn of 2026 was marred by violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed group affiliated with the Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP), launched coordinated attacks on three villages in Lubero territory, North Kivu. At least 15 people, including two soldiers, were killed in the Bapere sector, with dozens more wounded and homes set ablaze. The incident underscores the persistent insecurity in the region, the evolving tactics of the ADF, and the complex interplay of local, national, and international responses to the crisis.

Immediate Incident Details: The Lubero Attacks of January 1–2, 2026

Sequence of Events

The attacks unfolded on the night of January 1, 2026, as residents of Kilonge, Katanga, and Maendeleo villages in the Bapere sector gathered to celebrate the New Year. According to local security officials and eyewitnesses, the ADF militants first targeted a military camp near Katanga around 18:30 local time, exploiting the lack of cellular coverage that prevented the soldiers from calling for reinforcements. The rebels then moved into the villages, killing civilians and soldiers with bladed weapons and setting homes on fire.

In Kilonge, nine civilians were killed; in Katanga, two civilians died; and in Maendeleo, two civilians and two soldiers lost their lives. The attacks lasted between 19:00 and 20:00, catching villagers off guard during festive celebrations. Survivors described scenes of chaos, with gunfire echoing through the night and confusion over whether the shots were part of New Year’s festivities or an armed incursion.

Casualty Breakdown and Victim Identities

Local authorities, including Macaire Sivikunula, chief of the Bapere locality, and Alain Kiwewa, Lubero’s military administrator, confirmed a death toll of at least 15, with some sources reporting up to 16 fatalities as bodies continued to be recovered. Among the dead were two soldiers and 13 civilians, including men, women, and at least one youth who reportedly died from shock during the attack. The rebels also wounded several others and burned 17–19 houses, leaving many families homeless.

Eyewitnesses recounted that most victims were killed with machetes and other bladed weapons, a hallmark of ADF brutality. In Maendeleo, a firefight erupted between the rebels and Congolese soldiers, resulting in additional casualties. The identities of the victims have not been fully disclosed, pending security clearance for funerals, as local officials fear further ambushes by the ADF.

Eyewitness Accounts from Bapere Locality

Residents of Manguredjipa and the surrounding villages described a night of terror and confusion. “We were still in the middle of our celebrations, grilling chicken and sharing drinks, when the shooting started,” said one local security agent who requested anonymity. “At first, we thought it was just New Year’s gunfire, but then the news spread that the ADF had attacked the camp and were moving into the villages. People ran in all directions, not knowing where to hide.

Another survivor recounted the horror: “The rebels came silently, some dressed in military uniforms. They broke into homes, killed people with machetes, and set houses on fire. The screams were everywhere. We lost friends, neighbors, and family members in minutes.”

Local civil society leaders, such as Kakule Kagheni Samuel, confirmed that militants burned homes to the ground, compounding the trauma for survivors. “The ADF are cunning,” said Sivikunula, the Bapere chief. “They can ambush civilians who try to organize funerals, so we must wait for the army to secure the area before burying our dead.

Military Response and Operations: FARDC, UPDF, and Wazalendo

Congolese Army (FARDC) Actions

Following the attacks, the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) launched pursuit operations against the ADF in the forests surrounding Manguredjipa. Lieutenant Marc Elongo, army spokesperson, stated that Congolese troops were “pursuing the enemy,” though details of the operation remain sparse due to ongoing security risks.

The rapid intervention of the FARDC-Wazalendo coalition reportedly limited the scale of the massacre and prevented further material losses. However, local civil society groups expressed frustration at the continued vulnerability of communities, calling for improved coordination among security forces.

Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Involvement

The UPDF has maintained a presence in Lubero since early 2025, as part of Operation Shujaa—a joint military campaign with FARDC aimed at dismantling ADF networks in North Kivu and Ituri. Senior UPDF commanders have expressed concern over the targeting of ethnic groups, particularly the Bahema, and have pledged to protect civilians from further atrocities. The deployment of Ugandan troops has been credited with securing key areas, though the unintended consequence has been a westward shift in ADF violence into regions like Lubero.

Wazalendo Self-Defense Groups

Local armed groups, known as Wazalendo, have also been mobilized to support FARDC and UPDF operations. Their presence in the Bapere sector was noted during the attacks, but civil society leaders have called for greater synergy and cooperation among all security actors to prevent future massacres.

MONUSCO and UN Response

The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has condemned the Lubero attacks in the strongest terms, reiterating that protection of civilians remains an absolute priority. In a statement, MONUSCO extended condolences to the bereaved families and called for independent and credible investigations to identify and prosecute the perpetrators.

MONUSCO’s Deputy Special Representative, Bruno Lemarquis, emphasized that violence against civilians, including attacks on medical facilities, may constitute war crimes and serious violations of international humanitarian law. The mission continues to coordinate with Congolese authorities, FARDC, regional partners, and local actors to strengthen civilian protection and combat impunity.

In previous months, MONUSCO documented a surge in ADF attacks, including the killing of 89 civilians in Lubero territory in November 2025 and a massacre at a funeral in September 2025 that claimed over 60 lives. The mission has reinforced its military presence in affected areas and provided refuge to hundreds of civilians during attacks.

Background: The ADF’s Evolution and Activities in Eastern DRC

Origins and Ideological Shift

The ADF originated in Uganda in the mid-1990s as an Islamist insurgent group seeking to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni. After military pressure forced the group into the forests of eastern DRC, it established bases in North Kivu and Ituri, recruiting fighters from Uganda, Tanzania, and Somalia.

Under the leadership of Musa Seka Baluku, the ADF pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019, becoming the ISCAP’s Congolese chapter. This affiliation has led to increased brutality, more sophisticated propaganda, and a shift toward targeting civilians and aid workers.

Operational Tactics and Expansion

The ADF’s tactics have evolved to include multi-front assaults, infiltration of state institutions, and hybrid alliances with local militias such as Mai-Mai and CODECO. The group has demonstrated resilience despite heavy losses from Operation Shujaa, relocating camps, merging into mega-camps, and exploiting gaps in military coverage.

Recent intelligence reports indicate that ADF operatives have embedded within the FARDC, facilitating escapes, orchestrating kidnappings, and blending insurgency with criminality. The group has also leveraged ethnic tensions, land disputes, and economic grievances to ignite broader conflict, particularly in Lubero, Ituri, and Nyiragongo.

Links to ISCAP and Propaganda

The ADF’s connection to ISCAP has amplified its propaganda efforts, with Da’esh claiming responsibility for attacks within 24 hours and publishing detailed reports of operations. The group’s media output portrays its actions as part of a religious duty to wage war against non-Muslims, framing violence as a means of establishing Islamic governance in the region.

Recent ADF Activity Patterns in North Kivu and Ituri (2024–2025)

Surge in Attacks and Civilian Casualties

Between June and November 2025, the ADF launched a series of massacres in Beni and Lubero territories, killing over 650 civilians in at least 124 documented incidents. June 2025 marked the deadliest month on record, with over 200 deaths reported in Beni, Lubero, and southern Ituri. The group’s westward expansion, driven by military pressure from Operation Shujaa, has left previously secure areas vulnerable to attack.

Notable incidents include:

• The massacre of at least 150 people in Cantine and surrounding localities between June 3 and 12, 2025.
• The killing of 89 civilians in Lubero territory between November 13 and 19, 2025, including 17 women and children at a Catholic church-run health center in Byambwe.
• The funeral massacre in Ntoyo, Lubero, on September 8, 2025, where over 60 people were killed with machetes during a mourning ceremony.

Targeting of Health Facilities and Aid Workers

The ADF has increasingly targeted health centers, looting medical supplies, killing health workers, and burning hospitals. In the first four months of 2025, at least 41 incidents of violence or obstruction of health care were identified in North Kivu and Ituri, with aid workers killed, kidnapped, or assaulted during attacks.

Displacement and Humanitarian Crisis

The violence has triggered mass displacement, with over 26,000 people registered as internally displaced in Manguredjipa alone following ADF incursions in the Bapere sector. Many displaced families, including pygmy households, live in overcrowded conditions with limited access to food, water, and medical care. Schools have been forced to close or relocate, depriving thousands of children of education.

Humanitarian Impact and Displacement in Lubero

Scale of Displacement

The humanitarian situation in the Lubero territory remains dire. According to local authorities and humanitarian agencies, more than 26,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have sought refuge in Manguredjipa, with the total population in the area exceeding 52,000 due to the influx of displaced families. Many IDPs are children of school age, living in makeshift shelters and attending classes in overcrowded, inadequate conditions.

Challenges for Aid Delivery

Aid organizations face significant obstacles in delivering assistance, including insecurity, mistrust, and logistical constraints. The looting of aid infrastructure, attacks on health workers, and politicization of displacement have eroded community acceptance and complicated humanitarian operations.

Impact on Health and Education

Repeated attacks have forced the closure and relocation of schools and health centers, leaving communities without access to essential services. The destruction of medical facilities and the killing of health workers have exacerbated the health crisis, particularly in areas affected by mpox outbreaks and sexual violence.

Regional Dynamics: M23 Conflict and Its Relation to ADF Violence

M23 Offensive and Territorial Expansion

The resurgence of the March 23 Movement (M23), backed by Rwanda, has further destabilized eastern DRC. Since late 2024, M23 has seized control of key cities, including Goma and Bukavu, and launched offensives in North and South Kivu, displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians.

The conflict between FARDC and M23 has diverted military resources away from countering the ADF, allowing the latter to exploit security gaps and intensify attacks on rural communities. The overlap of M23 and ADF activities has created a complex security landscape, with civilians caught between multiple armed groups and government forces.

Diplomatic Efforts and Ceasefire Agreements

International mediation, including the Washington Agreement brokered by the United States and the Doha Process led by Qatar, has sought to address the conflict. However, ceasefire violations, forced recruitment, and continued violence have undermined the credibility of peace initiatives.

Regional tensions persist, with Kinshasa accusing Kigali of supporting M23 and Rwanda alleging DRC and Burundi’s support for the FDLR, a Rwandan Hutu armed group. The presence of foreign troops and the illicit exploitation of minerals have fueled further instability.

Previous Major ADF Attacks: Funeral Massacre and November 2025 Spate

September 2025 Funeral Massacre

On September 8, 2025, the ADF attacked a funeral wake in Ntoyo, Lubero, killing over 60 civilians with machetes and burning homes and vehicles. Survivors described being rounded up and executed, with many bodies beheaded or burned alive. The attack was one of the deadliest in recent memory and drew condemnation from the African Union, France, and the United Nations.

November 2025 Lubero Massacre

Between November 13 and 19, 2025, the ADF killed 89 civilians in a series of attacks on villages in Lubero territory, including the massacre of women and children in a Catholic church-run hospital in Byambwe. The group looted medical supplies, burned homes, and abducted survivors, deepening the humanitarian crisis.

Local Authorities and Civil Society Reactions

Calls for Unity and Enhanced Security

Local civil society organizations have condemned the latest attacks and called for greater cooperation among FARDC, UPDF, and Wazalendo groups. “It’s incomprehensible that such massacres continue in areas where security forces are deployed,” said a civil society leader in Bapere. “All elements must unite and speak the same language to end the barbarity of the ADF.

Community leaders have also urged the government to restore state authority, improve intelligence sharing, and address the root causes of violence, including poverty, inequality, and resource competition.

Mobilization Against Disinformation

MONUSCO has highlighted the role of disinformation and hate speech in fueling violence and undermining civilian protection. Community mobilization, awareness campaigns, and improved communication between local leaders and security forces are seen as essential to countering rumors and building trust.

International Reactions and Diplomatic Responses

Condemnation and Calls for Accountability

The international community has strongly condemned the Lubero attacks. The United Nations, African Union, United States, France, and other actors have called for independent investigations, prosecution of perpetrators, and respect for international humanitarian law.

MONUSCO has reiterated its commitment to supporting Congolese authorities and local communities in preventing further violence, protecting civilians, and stabilizing conflict-affected areas. The mission has also called for the unconditional disarmament of all armed groups and the cessation of foreign military support to the M23 and other factions.

Humanitarian Appeals

Humanitarian agencies, including OCHA, have issued urgent appeals for increased assistance to displaced populations, improved access to food, water, and medical care, as well as investment in demining and rehabilitation programs.

Security Measures and Investigations: Forensics and War Crimes

Investigative Challenges

Efforts to investigate and prosecute war crimes in Lubero face significant obstacles, including insecurity, lack of resources, and mistrust among communities. MONUSCO and Congolese authorities have called for independent and credible investigations, but progress has been slow due to ongoing violence and limited access to affected areas.

Protection of Journalists and Media Workers

The deteriorating security situation has also impacted press freedom, with over 50 attacks on newsrooms and journalists recorded in North Kivu between January 2024 and January 2025. Journalists have faced threats, displacement, and violence from both armed groups and state actors, complicating efforts to report on the crisis and hold perpetrators accountable.

Impact on Health Services and Attacks on Medical Facilities

Destruction and Looting

The ADF has systematically targeted health facilities, looting medicines, killing staff, and burning hospitals. The November 2025 attack on Byambwe’s Catholic hospital resulted in the deaths of 17 patients, including women in the maternity ward, and the destruction of four wards.

Consequences for Public Health

The destruction of medical infrastructure has left communities without access to essential care, exacerbating outbreaks of disease and increasing mortality among vulnerable groups. Aid organizations have struggled to maintain operations amid insecurity, displacement, and mistrust.

Contextual Timeline: ADF Evolution and Counter-Operations

Operation Shujaa and UPDF Involvement

Operation Shujaa, launched in November 2021, represents the most coordinated effort to target ADF/ISCAP cells in eastern DRC. Joint FARDC-UPDF operations have destroyed ADF strongholds, depleted leadership ranks, and rescued hundreds of hostages. However, the group has demonstrated resilience, relocating camps, merging into mega-camps, and exploiting gaps in military coverage.

The UPDF’s deployment in Lubero and surrounding areas has been credited with securing key territories, but has also led to unintended consequences, including the westward shift of ADF violence and increased complexity in regional dynamics.

Strategic Adaptation and Survival

The ADF’s survival-oriented approach relies on opportunistic ambushes, attacks on roads and villages, looting, kidnapping, and the fulfillment of jihadist aims. The group’s command structure remains unified under Musa Baluku, with subgroups operating semi-independently but reporting to central leadership

Local Security Advice and Risks for Journalists Reporting in Lubero

Threats to Press Freedom

Journalists operating in Lubero and North Kivu face significant risks, including threats, displacement, and violence from both armed groups and state actors. Over 50 attacks on newsrooms and journalists were recorded in North Kivu in 2024, with community radio stations looted or forced to close during M23 advances.

Safety Recommendations

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and local press unions advise journalists to exercise caution, avoid frontline areas, and maintain secure communication channels. Collaboration with local authorities and humanitarian organizations is essential for accessing information and ensuring personal safety.

Comparative Table: Key Actors and Recent Incidents in Lubero Territory

Actor/Group	Role/Activity in Lubero	Notable Incidents (2024–2026)	Response/Impact
ADF/ISCAP	Armed group, perpetrator of attacks	Jan 2026: 15 killed in Bapere; Nov 2025: 89 killed; Sept 2025: 60+ killed at funeral	Massacres, displacement, destruction of homes and health facilities
FARDC	National army, security operations	Pursuit of ADF post-attacks; joint ops with UPDF	Limited success, ongoing insecurity, calls for improved coordination
UPDF	Ugandan army, joint ops (Operation Shujaa)	Deployment in Lubero since 2025; securing key areas	Reduced ADF strongholds, westward shift of violence
MONUSCO	UN peacekeeping mission	Condemnation of attacks; support for investigations	Reinforced military presence, civilian protection, humanitarian aid
Wazalendo	Local self-defense groups	Support to FARDC/UPDF; presence in Bapere	Calls for unity, mixed effectiveness, tensions with communities
Civil Society	Advocacy, community mobilization	Condemnation of violence; calls for cooperation	Appeals for assistance, logistical constraints, and health crises
Humanitarian Agencies	Aid delivery, support for IDPs	Over 26,000 displaced in Manguredjipa; aid challenges	Threats, displacement, and press freedom violations
Journalists/Media	Reporting, information dissemination	50+ attacks on newsrooms in North Kivu (2024–2025)	Threats, displacement, press freedom violations

Analysis of Table:
The table highlights the interplay between armed groups, state actors, international organizations, and civil society in Lubero territory. The ADF remains the primary perpetrator of violence, with FARDC and UPDF conducting joint operations to counter the threat. MONUSCO’s role in civilian protection and humanitarian aid is critical, though challenges persist due to insecurity and mistrust. Local self-defense groups and civil society organizations advocate for unity and improved coordination, while humanitarian agencies struggle to meet the needs of displaced populations. Journalists face significant risks, with press freedom under threat from both armed groups and state actors.

Conclusion: Toward Accountability and Civilian Protection

The New Year’s attacks in Lubero territory are a stark reminder of the enduring insecurity in eastern DRC and the evolving threat posed by the ADF. Despite joint military operations, international condemnation, and community mobilization, civilians remain vulnerable to violence, displacement, and deprivation. The destruction of homes, health facilities, and schools has deepened the humanitarian crisis, while the targeting of aid workers and journalists has eroded trust and complicated response efforts.

Addressing the crisis requires a multifaceted approach that integrates security, humanitarian aid, development, and governance. Improved coordination among FARDC, UPDF, MONUSCO, and local actors is essential, as is the engagement of civil society and community leaders in countering disinformation and building resilience. International support must go beyond emergency aid to address the root causes of conflict, including resource exploitation, poverty, and ethnic tensions.

As Lubero mourns its dead and struggles to rebuild, the imperative for accountability, civilian protection, and lasting peace has never been more urgent. The world must not look away from the suffering in eastern Congo, but instead redouble efforts to support its people in their quest for security, dignity, and hope.