Twelve civilians and a soldier were killed in overnight attacks by the Islamic State Central Africa in Beni territory, North Kivu province, D.R. Congo. The attack occurred in Mbau vicinity left women and at least a dozen other villagers kidnapped, at least three houses razed to the ground as well as looting of livestock by the insurgents.
While the number of casualties is expected to rise the provisional toll indicates that the majority of the victims were women. The recent trend of kidnapping women is on the rise as the militants continue to face resistance from Congolese troops and UN peacekeepers. It is also an indicator that the group has been expanding and as such requires ‘hospitality’ services both for the fighters preparing to go to battle and those returning wounded and requiring medical attention.
The attack region is commonly referred to as the death triangle and in the past weeks has been the center-stage for attacks by ISCAP with the attacks occurring in a recurrent manner targeting both the civilian and the military population. The attacks have seen the main access road in the axis closed from the public use a move that has disrupted the economic standing or Mbau and by extension the Beni territory.
