CITY, DR Congo — Amnesty International has levelled severe accusations against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a militia group aligned with the Islamic State (IS), for committing “rampant “war crimes and crimes against humanity in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The ADF, which has terrorized the mineral — rich region for over three decades, has been implicated in kidnappings, forced labour, recruitment of child soldiers, and sexual violence against women and girls.
The rights group’s report, based on testimonies from 71 individuals, reveals the group’s systematic attacks on civilians to seize essential supplies and retaliate against military operations.
The ADF’s tactics include forced marriage, pregnancy, and various forms of sexual violence, which Amnesty’s Secretary-General Agnes Callamard describes as war crimes that the world cannot afford to ignore. Operating across North Kivu and Ituri provinces, the ADF has been at large, near the borders with Uganda and Rwanda, since its inception. Despite the deployment of the Ugandan army in North Kivu and Ituri since 2021, the joint efforts with the Congolese military have failed to halt the violence.
Amnesty also highlighted the ADF’s use of women as sex slaves, a strategy to recruit more fighters.
The group named the ADF as one of the largest recruiters of child soldiers in the DRC, where the use of minors in warfare is widespread.
The humanitarian crisis in the region has been exacerbated by the ADF’s actions, leading to mass displacement and limited access to healthcare, food, and education.
The international community’s response has been criticized for being slow, with calls for more action to protect civilians and hold the ADF accountable for its crimes.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: Africanews
Source: Rédaction Africanews
