Butembo, Democratic Republic of Congo – June 21st, 2024 – A wave of violence has swept through villages in Ituri province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, leaving at least 23 people dead. The attacks, attributed to the militia group Cooperative for the Development of Congo (CODECO), targeted several communities in Djugu territory on Thursday and Friday.
Local leaders paint a horrific scene. “The brutality is shocking,” said Vital Tungulo, president of Djugu’s Nyali-Kilo community. “Many were hacked to death with machetes, while those who tried to escape were ruthlessly gunned down. Homes were burned and belongings stolen.”
The motive behind these attacks remains unclear, though militia violence in the region is often linked to control over the vast mineral resources and the ongoing struggle for influence. The UN Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) has documented a worsening human rights situation in Ituri since the beginning of 2024, with CODECO attacks on the rise.
“These attacks are unacceptable,” declared Jules Ngongo Tshikudi, the army spokesperson for Ituri. CODECO, along with another militia group, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), are identified by the UN peacekeeping mission as the primary perpetrators of civilian killings in eastern DRC. Attempts to reach CODECO for comment on the recent attacks were unsuccessful.
The grief-stricken communities are now grappling with burying their dead. Local leader Daniel Anikumu reported the heartbreaking task of burying victims, including a mass grave for 11 people in the village of Gangala.
