Violence surges in North Kivu as kidnappings and killings rise

The security situation continues to deteriorate in the Rutshuru territory of North Kivu, where at least ten people were abducted, two others killed, and multiple properties looted between Tuesday and Wednesday, June 24, according to local humanitarian organizations.

The incidents, recorded in at least six localities, include kidnappings, armed robberies on roads, incursions into homes, and clashes between armed groups. Humanitarian organizations are calling for a swift restoration of security in this part of eastern DRC.

On Wednesday morning, between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., at least seven people were kidnapped on the Kibirizi-Rwindi axis, near Butindiri, and on the Kibirizi-Kibingu axis. The victims include three motorcycle taxi drivers and their passengers. The attackers also seized at least 18 packages of fish being transported from Vitshumbi. The identity of the kidnappers remains unknown.

On Tuesday, three other people were taken. Two were captured during an armed incursion into a home in the Buzito neighborhood of Kiwanja, while a third was seized in the Majengo area of Kibirizi.

Also on Tuesday, a truck carrying goods belonging to traders was attacked on the Kanyabayonga-Rwindi road. Armed men opened fire to force the driver to stop the vehicle before stealing the cargo. No casualties were reported in that attack.

The same day, a 22-year-old woman and her child lost their lives in the village of Kiseguro. According to local sources, they were fatally struck by stray bullets during clashes between AFC-M23 rebels and FDLR fighters.

Additionally, the Red Cross in DRC announced the death of two of its volunteers, killed on June 16 in the Walungu territory of South Kivu. The victims were on a mission to supervise drinking water supply works in the village of Kakumba when they were attacked.

Edgar Mateso, national president of the Red Cross in DRC, strongly condemned the attack, calling it a serious violation of international humanitarian principles. He emphasized that this tragedy highlights the constant risks facing humanitarian workers in the country’s east.