2025 Democratic Republic of the Congo attacks

Last updated
2025 Democratic Republic of the Congo attacks
Part of the Kivu conflict and Democratic Republic of the Congo–Rwanda conflict (2022–present)
Date1 January 2025 – ongoing
(2 months and 1 week)
Location
Status Ongoing
Belligerents

Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg  Democratic Republic of the Congo


Supported by
Flag of the United Nations.svg MONUSCO
Flag of the Allied Democratic Forces.svg ADF
M23 Logo.png March 23 Movement
Islamic State flag.svg  ISIS
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1966-1971).svg CODECO
Flag of Rwanda.svg  Rwanda

Since the start of 2025, the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has intensified. On January 26, the March 23 Movement (M23), along with allied Rwandan forces, seized control of Goma, the capital of North Kivu. By January 27, the M23 had taken control of significant areas of the city after fierce clashes with DRC forces. [1]

Contents

Humanitarian situation

As of February 3, over 700,000 people are displaced within Goma. [1] [2] 7.3 million people are internally displaced in the whole country (as of April 2024). [3]

List of attacks in 2025

DateDeadInjuredInvolvedLocation – Circumstances
January 1510+ADFNorth Kivu, Lubero Territory, Makoko – At least ten people were killed in an attack by the Allied Democratic Forces. [4]
January 235ADFNorth Kivu, Beni territory – Five civilians were killed by ADF. [5]
January 27150+Male prisonersNorth Kivu, Goma – Female prisoners were attacked and their wing was set on fire after a mass rape, killing nearly all women and 26 children. Only 9–13 of 165 female inmates survived. [6] [7] [8]
January 299 Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP)North Kivu, Lubero District – 30 homes set on fire. [9] [5]
February 228Armed groupIturi, Irumu Territory, Samboko and Ndalya – 3 villages were attacked and 28 people killed. The attack led to panic and thousand civilians fled the area. [10]
February 73UndisclosedNorth Kivu – Three Swiss church aid workers were killed. [11]
February 1080+CODECO Ituri, Djugu Territory – Militants attacked Djaiba villages. They killed adults and children, set houses on fire, looted and committed sexual violence. [12] [13]
February 1270+Islamic State – Central Africa ProvinceNorth Kivu, Lubero – More than 70 people were kidnapped and later found beheaded. [9] [14]

See also: Kasanga massacre

February 163M23South Kivu, Bukavu – Three children were killed during summary executions by M23. [15]
February 24–2763 Zaïre militia Ituri, Djugu Territory, Masumbuko – An attack by the Zaïre militia over several days killed six soldiers and injured three. The militia took an unknown number of casualties in fighting with the FARDC. [16]
February 25–2623ADFIturi province, Matolo and Samboko – 23 civilians were killed, and 20 civilians, mostly farmers, were kidnapped. [17]
February 271165UndisclosedSouth Kivu, Bukavu – An explosions at a rally held by M23 rebels killed and injured people. [18] [19]

See also: 2025 Bukavu M23 rally bombings

March 1 and March 3M23North Kivu, Goma – CBCA Ndosho Hospital and Heal Africa Hospital were raided in a coordinated attack, and 130 to 150 patients were kidnapped. [20] [21]
March 731 Mai-Mai Kata Katanga Tanganyika, Moba Territory, Kamena – An attack by the Mai-Mai Kata Katanga and Twas militias on a village and an FARDC camp left three rebels dead and one soldier injured. [22]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "ACAPS Briefing note - Democratic Republic of Congo: Conflict escalation in Goma (North Kivu), 05 February 2025 - Democratic Republic of the Congo | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2025-02-05. Retrieved 2025-03-01.
  2. "Conflict in the DRC: What you need to know about the crisis | International Rescue Committee (IRC)". www.rescue.org. 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-03-01.
  3. "Democratic Republic of the Congo: Internally displaced persons and returnees, April 2024 | OCHA". www.unocha.org. 2024-05-15. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
  4. "Islamic State-linked rebels kill at least 10 people in eastern Congo". AP News. 2025-01-15. Retrieved 2025-03-02.
  5. 1 2 https://www.vaticannews.va/en/world/news/2024-02/pentecostal-church-attack-beni-democratic-republic-congo.html
  6. Bastmeijer, Joost; Townsend, Mark; Houttuin, Saskia (2025-02-05). "Hundreds of women raped and burned to death after Goma prison set on fire". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2025-03-05.
  7. "Goma jailbreak: More than 100 women raped and burned alive in DR Congo, UN says". www.bbc.com. 2025-02-05. Retrieved 2025-03-05.
  8. Princewill, Nimi (2025-02-06). "More than 150 female inmates raped and burned to death during Goma jailbreak in DRC, UN says". CNN. Retrieved 2025-03-05.
  9. 1 2 "At least 89 Christians killed by Islamists in north-eastern D. R. Congo". Barnabas Aid (in German). 2025-02-17. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  10. "West and Central Africa: Latest events at a glance (28 January - 3 February 2025) - Democratic Republic of the Congo | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2025-02-04. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  11. "Three employees of Swiss aid organisation killed in DRC". SWI swissinfo.ch. 2025-02-07. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  12. "DR Congo: Militia kill dozens of villagers in Ituri province – DW – 02/11/2025". dw.com. Retrieved 2025-02-24.
  13. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/civilian-death-toll-exceeds-80-after-east-congo-militia-attack-says-un-mission-2025-02-14/
  14. "ACN confirms brutal killing of 70 civilians by ADF forces in DRC - Vatican News". www.vaticannews.va. 2025-02-24. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  15. "DR Congo: Children reportedly killed in summary executions by M23 fighters | UN News". news.un.org. 2025-02-18. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  16. "Six militaires tués et 3 autres blessés dans les combats avec les miliciens en 4 jours à Djugu" [Six soldiers killed and 3 others injured in fighting with militias in 4 days in Djugu]. Radio Okapi . 27 February 2025.
  17. "Au moins 23 personnes tuées par les rebelles ADF dans le nord-est congolais" [At least 23 people killed by ADF rebels in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo]. Voice of America (in French). 2025-03-01. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
  18. "Blasts kill 11 at rally in eastern Congo, rebels say" http://www.reuters.com. 2025-02-27. Retrieved 2025-02-28
  19. Mureithi, Carlos (2025-02-27). "Deadly blasts hit M23 rebel rally in captured DRC city of Bukavu". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2025-02-28.
  20. "DRC: M23 attacks on hospitals gravely concerning". OHCHR. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
  21. "Afrique de l'Ouest et centrale : Derniers évènements en bref (25 février - 3 mars 2025) - Democratic Republic of the Congo | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2025-03-04. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
  22. "Moba: 3 miliciens Bakata Katanga tués lors des combats face aux FARDC" [Moba: 3 Bakata Katanga militia killed in FARDC fighting]. Radio Okapi (in French). 8 March 2025.