Militia attacks have killed at least 69 people in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The CODECO militia is confirmed to have carried out these deadly assaults in late April. This cluster of violence underscores the ongoing struggle for control over the region's rich mineral deposits.
The clashes were reportedly triggered by an earlier attack. The Hema-affiliated group, Convention for the Popular Revolution (CRP), struck Congolese army positions. CODECO, representing the Lendu community, responded with retaliatory strikes. These actions intensify the long-standing ethnic conflict between the Lendu and Hema communities.
This mineral-rich eastern region has seen decades of unrest. Vast mineral wealth, including cobalt, copper, and diamonds, continues to fund armed groups. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports nearly one million people displaced in Ituri due to this persistent violence. Previous events include the resurgence of the CRP, founded by convicted warlord Thomas Lubanga.
The UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) condemned the recent attacks. UN spokesman Farhan Haq noted that at least 34 civilians were killed in a three-day period across Ituri and North Kivu. He also highlighted the immense humanitarian toll and displacement caused by the continuing insecurity.
The implications of this escalating violence are severe. Overstretched security forces struggle to contain multiple competing rebel groups like CODECO, ADF, and M23. This creates security gaps, leaving civilian populations vulnerable. The findings of war crimes and crimes against humanity by groups like the ADF further complicate efforts to restore peace and stability in the region.