Description: Terrorists pertaining to the ISIS affiliated Allied Democratic Forces have raided a village in the region of Lubero called Mukondo and killed more than 19 people wounding additional 16. The attackers were using variety of weapons including guns, clubs and machetes and were disguised in military uniforms while raiding the village which civilians thought was safe due to the recent heavy military presence in the region by the Congolese military. The ADF has substantially escalated its attacks in recent months conducting several terrorist attacks in the DRC with mass casualties and exploited the security and power vacuum in the region caused by the war between the M23 rebels and the Congolese military.
Impact: Terrorist organizations such as the ADF in the DRC would continue to expand their operations and terrorize local population over regions which lack military presence in the DRC. Despite the brokered peace agreement between the DRC and the M23 rebels, heavy armed fighting has continued in the resource rich region diminishing the effects of the peace initiative. Armed confrontations would continue in the foreseeable future, with ADF further inserting itself in territorial focal points as a power force, using kidnapping and effective control over territory as sources of revenue. The country’s east remains extremely volatile, unstable and in desperate need of an internationally led peacekeeping mission as well as other diversified practical guardrails in order to ensure the incorporation of the signed peace agreement. Terrorist activity in the region is also expected to significantly escalate following shortcomings from the DRC’s military as it focuses on subverting the M23 rebels elsewhere.