Unrelenting violence continues to grip Rutshuru Territory in North Kivu, where at least ten individuals were abducted, two killed, and multiple properties looted between Tuesday and Wednesday, June 24, according to local humanitarian organizations.
Reports from at least six different localities highlight a disturbing pattern of kidnappings, roadside armed robberies, armed incursions into private homes, and clashes between rival armed factions. Humanitarian groups are urgently calling for the restoration of security in this eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
mid-morning abductions disrupt daily life
Between 9:00 and 10:00 AM on Wednesday, at least seven people were forcibly taken near the Kibirizi-Rwindi route, specifically around Butindiri, and along the Kibirizi-Kibingu stretch. Among those seized were three motorcycle taxi drivers and their passengers. The assailants also seized at least 18 crates of fish transported from Vitshumbi. The identities of the perpetrators remain unknown.
wave of violence escalates over 48 hours
The day before, three additional individuals were abducted. Two were taken during an armed raid on a home in Buzito, Kiwanja, while the third was forcibly removed from the Majengo neighborhood in Kibirizi.
Earlier on Tuesday, an armed assault targeted a commercial truck traveling the Kanyabayonga-Rwindi route. Gunmen forced the driver to halt the vehicle before seizing its cargo. Fortunately, no injuries were reported during this incident.
Tragedy struck in Kiseguro village on the same day, where a 22-year-old woman and her child lost their lives after being struck by stray bullets during clashes between rebels from the M23-AFC and fighters from the FDLR.
humanitarian workers face growing threats
The humanitarian crisis deepened further with the announcement of the deaths of two Red Cross volunteers in Walungu Territory, South Kivu, on June 16. The volunteers were killed while overseeing a clean water project in Kakumba village.
Edgard Mateso, National President of the Red Cross in the DRC, condemned the attack as a blatant violation of international humanitarian principles. He emphasized that this tragedy underscores the persistent dangers faced by humanitarian workers across eastern Congo.