On the night of Friday, October 27, the border town of Kasindi, in the territory of Beni, was the scene of a deadly attack perpetrated by ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) rebels. The sad provisional reports show three people dead, two trucks burned and a weapon recovered.

The events took place around 10 p.m., when heavy gunfire rang out, mixing light and heavy weapons, thus plunging the region into an atmosphere of war. The attackers targeted the central parking lot of the Kasindi Lubirigha customs office, located in the Congo ya Sika district. Two trucks were reduced to ashes, while another, carrying fuel, was riddled with bullets. Despite a prompt reaction from the security forces, two civilians, truck conveyors, unfortunately lost their lives in this bloody assault.

This attack comes in an already tense context, marked by the reported presence of the ADF in the vicinity of Kasindi since their recent incursion into Elisabeth Park in Uganda, during which tourists were savagely massacred. Faced with this growing threat, the police, the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and elements of the UPDF (Uganda Defense Forces) joined forces to contain the attack and limit the number of victims.

Denis Kalenga, coordinator of the new civil society in the Basongora group, praised the courageous reaction of the security forces, stressing that without their rapid intervention, the toll could have been much higher. However, the police commander in Kasindi recalls that the searches are still ongoing and that the results could change.

This ADF attack in Kasindi highlights the need for a reinforced response against these rebel groups who continue to sow terror in the region. It is imperative to strengthen cooperation between Congolese and Ugandan security forces to guarantee the security of border populations.