Death Toll Rises to 19 in ADF Attack on Babesua Village

Mambasa, Ituri March 17, 2026 - The death toll from the ADF attack in Babesua village has risen to at least 19 civilians killed, following the assault on the evening of March 16. The village lies 12 kilometers from Badengaido, along the Kisangani road. A Red Cross team on the ground confirmed the updated toll, reporting extensive destruction, including burned houses and a truck. The scale of the violence mirrors recent ADF attacks on the Muchacha and Mavuvu mining sites, which left at least 17 dead days earlier. Despite ongoing joint military operations by the Congolese and Ugandan armies, the ADF militants continue to advance and carry out attacks. According to the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO), ADF fighters were responsible for 465 attacks in 2025, resulting in 1,749 victims, including women and children. Summary executions accounted for nearly half of these incidents. The renewed violence in Mambasa territory is spreading fear to neighboring areas such as Bafwasende, where reports indicate population displacement as residents flee ongoing attacks.