By Mukesh 
The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo warned on Saturday (May 9, 2026) of a “deadly” wave of attacks in the country’s restive east targeting civilians.
“Dozens of civilians have been killed in recent days” in areas in the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, MONUSCO said, without giving details or tolls.
The mineral-rich eastern DRC has been plagued for three decades by conflict involving various armed groups, militia and army troops.
Since 2021, the Ugandan army has, alongside the Congolese military, been deployed in the northern part of North Kivu and in Ituri to fight the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group of former Ugandan rebels which has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group (IS).
Local and security sources on Thursday (May 7, 2026) said ADF fighters killed at least 36 people in two days of attacks in Ituri and North Kivu.