Militia Attack Kills at Least 69 in Eastern DR Congo, Sources Say

At least 69 people were killed in a series of attacks by Codeco militia fighters in Ituri province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, on April 28, according to local civil society leaders and security sources. The assault targeted multiple villages, with bodies found strewn near the village of Bassa; only 25 have been buried so far due to delayed recovery efforts caused by the continued presence of armed fighters.

The attacks came in retaliation for an earlier offensive by the Convention for the Popular Revolution (CRP), a Hema-affiliated armed group, against Congolese Army (FARDC) positions near Pimbo. One security source confirmed the death toll of 69, including 19 militia members and soldiers, while a humanitarian source described scenes of civilians killed in the open. The United Nations mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) rescued nearly 200 people during the CRP assault and condemned the subsequent attacks on civilians.

The Hema community organization Ente labeled the killings a 'massacre' and urged against retaliation. Fighting between the CRP, linked to convicted warlord Thomas Lubanga, and the Lendu-supporting Codeco has intensified since early 2025, marked by widespread civilian casualties and abuse. Ituri province, rich in gold and other minerals, has been a flashpoint for ethnic violence for decades.

The region also contends with attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamist militant group with ties to Islamic State. Nearly one million people are internally displaced in Ituri, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. MONUSCO reiterated its condemnation of the violence on May 9, calling for accountability and protection of civilians.

Congolese authorities have not issued a formal statement on the April 28 attacks. The military and MONUSCO are assessing security conditions to enable full access to the affected villages for recovery and aid operations.