ADF Kills 17 Christians Amid Ebola Crisis 

At least 17 Christians were killed in an Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attack on May 19 in Mambasa territory, Ituri Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  

The assault began in the village of Alima before the attackers moved on to nearby communities, including Manyama, where several homes were burned. 

According to Peresi Mamboro, one of the local civil society leaders of Babila Babombi, the death toll is only an estimate, as many people are still missing. Ongoing insecurity and limited access to the affected villages make it difficult to confirm the damage.  

“The number of deaths has now reached 17,” Peresi said. “The attackers passed through Alima, then set fire to several places, including Manyama and the surrounding area. This figure is still provisional because the enemy continues to move freely in the region.” 

As fear spreads across several parts of Mambasa territory, civil society leaders are urging residents to remain alert.  

“We call on the population to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity,” Peresi added. 

ADF fighters have been highly active in the region. Witnesses said they crossed National Road 44 along the Biakato–Mambasa road near Alima before splitting up and scattering in different directions.  

“After the attack, the assailants divided into two groups,” said Zephani Kataliko, a human rights defender in the Babila Babombi chiefdom. “One headed east, passing Alima, while the other moved west toward Babila Babombi via Alima Stadium Avenue.” 

The latest attack has deepened the sense of fear in a region already shaken by weeks of renewed violence attributed to the ADF. At the same time, the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Ituri Province adds another layer of suffering for communities who are being told to avoid movement, keep distance, and practice constant handwashing — precautions that become nearly impossible for people fleeing for their lives.

Families escaping gunfire cannot isolate, displaced villagers cannot avoid crowds, and those hiding in the forest have no access to clean water or early treatment, creating conditions that fuel both insecurity and disease.  

As violence disrupts health services and scatters exposed individuals across remote areas, local leaders warn that without stronger and sustained military action, the ADF could further themselves even deeper in the forested zones of Babila Babombi, making the crisis even harder to contain and leaving civilians trapped between armed attacks and a deadly epidemic. 

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