At least 20 people were killed and at least 50 others taken hostage by ISCAP in five villages that are located in the Babila Babombi chiefdom near Mambasa in Ituri. The attacks come as the military has been stepping up operations in the neighboring Beni region since the state of siege announce by the President.
The attacks began on Tuesday the 11th of May and the villages including Makumo, Ngaka, Masana, Matonge, and Sambangu where 21 people were killed with eight of the bodies discovered by people going to the fields. The attacks have triggered a massive exodus as the civilians continue to be disgruntled and questioning the viability of the military presence as directed by the president.
The reports come as MONUSCO force carried out airstrikes on Wednesday that targeted positions of ADF fighters in the Ruwenzori sector in Beni territory. The aerial intervention by the peacekeepers is a welcome aid as it will offer the Congolese troops to chase and eliminate the ISCAP elements. This month, troops of the MONUSCO intervention brigade have stepped up patrols and continue to provide support to the Congolese army to protect the civilian population.
