West News Wire: The army claims that militia fighters invaded a community in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, sparking a confrontation that resulted in the death of 14 people the latest casualties in the country’s unrest-plagued east.
Armed members of the CODECO (Cooperative pour le Developpement du Congo) militia attacked Gobu hamlet on Sunday night, killing nine civilians and one Congolese soldier, according to Colonel Mapela Mviniama on Monday.
According to him, two military and two civilians were hurt in the combat, which also claimed the lives of four attackers.
In the eastern DRC, where conflict has erupted for decades, violence has been on the rise. More than 120 armed organisations are engaged in conflict in the area, with some groups attempting to protect territory and others vying for control of mines that contain important minerals.
CODECO, a loose association of ethnic Lendu militia groups, has been fighting with Zaire, a mainly ethnic Hema self-defence group since 2017. According to the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism, CODECO attacks killed nearly 1,800 people and wounded more than 500 in the four years through 2022.
The United Nations says the militia has expanded in recent months.
According to him, two military and two civilians were hurt in the combat, which also claimed the lives of four attackers.
In the eastern DRC, where conflict has erupted for decades, violence has been on the rise. More than 120 armed factions are engaged in conflict in the area, the most of which are vying for control of mines that contain valuable minerals and land, though some are also attempting to defend local communities.
Since 2017, Zaire, a mostly ethnic Hema self-defense force, has been engaged in combat with CODECO, a loose coalition of ethnic Lendu militia groups. The African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism estimates that in the four years leading up to 2022, CODECO assaults will result in approximately 1,800 fatalities and more than 500 injuries.
According to the United Nations, the militia has grown recently.
