On Sunday, seven bodies in an advanced state of decomposition were discovered on the outskirts of Mangina, Beni territory in the province of North Kivu, Congo. The victims were villagers who had been executed with machetes by militiamen of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), affiliated with Islamic State. This attack occurred after a previous incident where three people were killed in Mangina.
The mayor of Mangina, Rocky Muvunga, stated that the victims were residents of the town who were found in their fields outside the commune. The ADF had planned to attack Mangina and anyone they encountered was mercilessly killed. Local youth discovered the bodies and notified the wazalendos, or self-defense groups, in the area.
The discovery of the bodies has raised concerns about ongoing violence and instability in the region. The ADF is a violent Ugandan group responsible for numerous atrocities, including the murder of 1,200 civilians in 2021. The bodies of the victims were found by wazalendos and buried as they were in a decomposed state.
The incident highlights the ongoing threat posed by armed groups in the region and its impact on local communities. The violence inflicted on innocent civilians by these groups is a stark reminder of