Surge in attacks leaves communities vulnerable in Rutshuru
Tensions in the Rutshuru territory of North Kivu have escalated sharply, with local humanitarian groups reporting a wave of violence that claimed lives, led to kidnappings, and disrupted daily life between Tuesday and Wednesday, June 24. At least ten people were abducted, two were killed, and property was extensively looted across multiple locations.
Reports indicate that violence flared in at least six different communities, involving armed robberies on key roads, home invasions by armed groups, and direct clashes between rival factions. Aid workers are urgently calling for immediate security measures to restore calm and protect civilians in this eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Kidnappings target motorbike drivers and passengers
On Wednesday morning, between 9:00 and 10:00 AM, at least seven individuals were forcibly taken near the Butindiri crossroads along the Kibirizi-Rwindi route, and another abduction occurred on the Kibirizi-Kibingu road. Among those seized were three motorcycle taxi drivers and their passengers. The attackers also stole 18 consignments of fish en route from Vitshumbi. The identities and affiliations of the perpetrators remain unknown at this time.
The previous day, three more people were kidnapped. Two were taken during a violent raid on a home in Buzito, Kiwanja, while a third was captured in the Majengo neighborhood of Kibirizi.
Armed assaults paralyze local trade
On Tuesday, an armed gang ambushed a commercial truck traveling the Kanyabayonga-Rwindi route. Gunfire forced the driver to stop, allowing the assailants to seize the cargo. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in this incident.
Tragedy struck in Kiseguro village when a 22-year-old woman and her child were fatally shot by stray bullets during clashes between the M23 rebel movement and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
In a separate but equally disturbing development, two Red Cross volunteers were killed on June 16 in Walungu territory, South Kivu, while monitoring a clean water project in Kakumba. This attack prompted strong condemnation from the national president of the DRC Red Cross, Edgard Mateso, who described it as a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. He stressed that such violence highlights the ongoing dangers faced by aid workers across eastern Congo.
