Democratic Republic of Congo: 20 killed in overnight jihadist attack on village

Image: Jihad Watch

Democratic Republic of the Congo (International Christian Concern) — The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an extremist rebel group notorious for its brutal attacks, carried out a devastating assault on the village of Lufodu in Beni territory early last week, leaving at least 20 civilians dead and an entire community in grief.

According to Kinos Kathuo, the president of the civil society branch in Mamove, the victims were ordinary villagers who had been camping in their fields to protect their crops when the armed militants launched their raid. The rebels descended without warning, attacking the defenseless farmers under the cover of night.

“They massacred eighteen people instantly, while two others later succumbed to the injuries they sustained,” Kathuo reported. “These were not soldiers or fighters—just simple farmers trying to safeguard their harvests. They had no weapons, no protection, and no chance of survival against such brutality.”

The aftermath has left the community in a state of shock and mourning. The bodies of the victims were transported to Oicha for burial, as grieving families struggle to come to terms with the sudden loss. Many parents remain desperate for news of missing loved ones, fearing they too may have fallen victim to the attackers.

The ADF rebels not only took lives but also targeted the livelihood of the villagers. Before fleeing, they torched several means of transport and work equipment that local families relied upon for survival.

“These terrorists set fire to seven motorcycles and three bicycles belonging to innocent civilians,” Kathuo explained. “For many households, a single motorcycle is their lifeline—their only way to transport goods, reach markets, or access healthcare. By destroying them, the rebels inflicted not just immediate suffering but also long-term hardship. Their goal was clearly to terrorize, to destroy, and to cripple the resilience of our community.”

The Lufodu attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents attributed to the ADF in eastern Congo, where villagers continue to live in fear of sudden raids. While the region has endured years of instability, this massacre once again highlights the vulnerability of rural communities caught in the crossfire of extremist violence.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)