DRC Urges UN Response to ADF Violence

Kinshasa, August 9, 2026 - The DRC used a United Nations Security Council meeting on August 5 to call for a comprehensive international response to the Allied Democratic Forces, citing massacres, abductions and sexual and gender-based violence in eastern Congo.

Deputy Permanent Representative Jocelyne Kabengele Lukundula said ADF attacks have weakened state authority and threatened stability in the Great Lakes region. She called for stronger security measures, increased financial support, justice for victims and efforts to address the root causes of the conflict, noting that women and girls have been disproportionately affected.

The appeal came despite continuing military operations, including the Shujaa offensive, as civilians remain targets of ADF violence. The persistence of attacks underscores the limits of military pressure alone and the continuing security risk to communities, transport corridors and investment conditions in the east.

France's representative, Charlotte Saudin, warned of evolving threats from groups including Daesh and Al-Qaeda and said their influence was extending into the DRC. She highlighted the importance of Resolution 2462 on terrorist financing and urged stronger technological and operational capacity to confront the threat.