resurgence

The United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) has condemned the recent surge in violence in Djugu territory. This includes lethal attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in Ituri and North Kivu, leading to the deaths of civilians.

In a statement issued in Kinshasa on July 23, MONUSCO expressed strong condemnation of the recent attacks by the Convention pour la Révolution Populaire (CRP) armed group against the DR Congo army. They denounced the ongoing deadly assaults by the ADF, which have resulted in the deaths of 82 civilians in the Ituri and North Kivu provinces.

The UN organisation raised concerns regarding the ADF attacks that occurred from July 8 to 9, in the northeastern regions of Eringeti and Irumu within Ituri province. These attacks were a retaliatory response to joint operations conducted by the Congolese army and the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) against an armed group in the area, resulting in the tragic loss of 47 civilian lives. In light of these events, MONUSCO has offered heartfelt condolences to the affected families and communities, reiterating the UN Secretary General’s call for foreign armed groups to lay down their weapons and return to their countries of origin without conditions.

“The actors of this violence, whoever they are and whatever their motivations, must account for their acts before the competent jurisdictions. We call on armed groups which are signatories to the Aru II peace accord in Ituri to fully respect their engagements, notably by observing without delay the cessation of hostilities and to prefer peaceful channels in the resolution of conflicts,” Bruno Lemarquis, assistant special representative of the UN Secretary General in DR Congo and interim chief of MONUSCO, declared. “We equally exhort all the other armed groups active in the province to lay down their arms in conformity with calls by the Congolese authorities and the international community.”

The global organisation also condemned the attacks on civilian populations that occurred on July 21 in Djugu. It specifically denounced the looting and desecration of the Catholic parish of Lopa, which has been attributed to the Cooperative for the Development of Congo (CODECO) armed group. The organisation emphasised that these attacks targeted places of worship, schools, health centres, and hospitals, thereby constituting serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights.

“MONUSCO encourages the provincial authorities to continue to promote dialogue between all communities in Ituri in order to reduce tensions. It reaffirms its constant engagement in favour of dialogue, social cohesion and the search for lasting solutions for peace in the Eastern DR Congo. It remains fully mobilised on the side of the Congolese authorities and the local communities in order to reduce tensions, protect civilians and support the stabilisation efforts in the affected zones,” the MONUSCO statement noted.

Ituri province has been the site of armed violence and inter-communal conflicts for several years. This violence persists despite an agreement reached on June 28 between six local groups: CODECO, Zaire/Auto-Defence, MAPI, the Patriotic Resistance Front of Ituri (FRPI), the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) militant group, and Chini Ya Tuna. The accord aimed at ceasing hostilities was signed in Aru, a village near the border with Uganda, northeast of Bunia, the provincial capital. This agreement was facilitated within the framework of the Aru II dialogue, which had the support of the Congolese government and international partners.

Following the signing of the bilateral peace accord between the DR Congo and Rwanda, six armed groups have agreed on a truce in the northeastern part of the DR Congo. The UN mission in Congo has saluted the crucial progress and called on armed groups that refused to sign the agreement to join the peace process.

The N’Djamena peace accord, signed on April 19, 2025, between the government of the Central African Republic, the rebels from the Return, Rehabilitation, and Reclamation (3R) and the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC), continues to face challenges due to repeated violations by parties involved.

The agreement aims to help reintegrate rebels into civilian life and to disband their movements, as outlined in the 2019 peace accord. However, the recent resurgence of violence in Nzakoundou caught the authorities off guard, highlighting their lack of preparedness for the disarmament process. 

On Saturday, June 28, heavily armed 3R rebels emerged in large numbers from the bush in Nzakoundou, Yeme council. Their overwhelming presence overshadowed the Central African Republic National Army (FACA) soldiers. Outnumbered, FACA soldiers had no choice but to retreat from Nzakoundou, fleeing to the bushes 15 kilometres away along the Paoua highway, leaving the village under the control of the 3R rebels. This retreat has instilled panic among the villagers, who are concerned that tensions may escalate if the rebels’ basic needs are unmet.

Meanwhile, in the Ouaka region, UPC rebels have initiated the disarmament process in Bokolobo, Maloum, Mbomou, and Nzacko. Motivated by promises of reintegration into the national army, UPC combatants voluntarily laid down their arms. However, their primary challenge is the lack of food and other essential supplies.

The situation is different in Yaloke, situated 225 kilometres from Bangui, the republic’s capital, where disarmed former Anti-Balaka militia led by General Jeudi have been complaining of the absence of food rations and access to water, a recurrent problem in the several sites earmarked for disarmament. At Moyo, the situation is particularly disquieting because the rebels who are still armed have been terrorising the population and taking whatever they need by force.

The Central African Republic is facing significant challenges with its disarmament and reintegration programme, which has been ongoing since 2017. According to President Touadera, this programme has successfully disarmed 5,000 combatants and dissolved nine armed groups. However, Moyo’s lack of cantonment zones and the necessary resources to support disarmed combatants hinders progress. 

This issue is further compounded by the ineffectiveness of the FACA soldiers, who cannot secure areas like Nzakoundou. The residents there are living in constant fear of violence, especially since 2023, when the 3R rebels set fire to multiple homes and killed civilians, prompting the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) to send troops to the village and its surrounding areas.

The departure of FACA soldiers has created a significant dilemma: If the rebels choose to lay down their arms, the state is expected to take responsibility for them. However, without access to food or opportunities for reintegration, these former combatants may resort to acts of banditry to survive, including nighttime robberies targeting local populations. This troubling trend is already evident in areas like Dawala, Thicka, and Sataigne and has the potential to escalate into a new source of violence. Such developments could undermine the progress achieved through the N’Djamena peace accord.

A Cameroonian soldier was killed and three others were wounded during a two-night attack by Boko Haram terrorists from 19 to 20 May. The assault occurred in Kerawa, a locality on the border with Nigeria, within the Kolofata sub-division of the Mayo-Sava division in the Far North region.

A member of the local vigilante committee said the assailants, who came from Nigeria, targeted a Cameroonian military post. “After opening fire on the post, the assailants quickly fled towards the Nigeria-Cameroon border,” he stated.

The recent attack highlights an alarming trend, as Boko Haram terrorists have become more aggressive since March, utilising previously unseen sophisticated weaponry during their operations. Notably, one major incident occurred on the night of March 24 to 25, 2025, in Wulgo, in the Logone-et-Chari division, where 12 Cameroonian soldiers lost their lives. 

This week’s deadly assault serves as a reminder that, despite claims of a retreat by the terrorists, the threat they pose remains constant within the Lake Chad Basin. Even with strong responses from the Cameroonian army, Boko Haram continues to conduct violent operations, instilling fear and destabilising the border areas with Nigeria. This comes despite repeated assertions from the military that they have broken the back of Boko Haram in the region.

As part of its intensified violent campaign, Boko Haram/ISWAP increased the deployment of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along critical highways in the Lake Chad region, especially in Nigeria. Over the past month, numerous IED detonations occurred, resulting in casualties among both civilians and security forces.

Recent developments have seen two significant bridges – one in the Gujiba local government area of Yobe State and the other in the Biu local government area of Borno State – damaged by IED blasts attributed to the terrorist group. These incidents have significantly disrupted mobility, making entire routes perilous and putting commuters at heightened risk of attacks, particularly in resettled communities that are already unstable.

The destruction of these essential infrastructures also threatens humanitarian efforts and the region’s economic stability. Human rights groups, humanitarian organisations, and local media have cautioned for months that resettling populations without adequate security measures may expose them to reprisals and further displacement.