The population of Kirumba, in the southern part of Lubero territory, held a demonstration to

Kinshasa, December 16, 2025 - The population of Kirumba, in the southern part of Lubero territory, held a demonstration to protest atrocities committed by ADF rebels against civilians in the Bapere sector.

“For ten years, the population has been massacred by the ADF, but Kinshasa has never provided a solution,” lamented Samy Saa Kumi, president of the local civil society.

The demonstration aimed to urge the national and international community to take action to restore peace in areas threatened by the ADF. “We want the inhabitants of Beni and Bapere to regain security and live in peace,” Kumi said, emphasizing the need for liberation after years of loss.

This protest comes nine days after the publication of the Kivu Security Barometer, a project of the Ebuteli Research Institute, which recorded 226 security incidents in eastern DRC in November 2025. The report highlighted a sharp increase in civilian deaths, with 289 fatalities compared to 205 the previous month.

According to the Barometer, Lubero territory, particularly the Bapere sector and the Baswagha chiefdom, became the epicenter of violence in November, with 121 civilians, including 22 women, killed during the period under review.

Despite limited media coverage, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) remain the deadliest armed group in eastern DRC. Also active in Ituri, in the territories of Mambasa and Irumu, the ADF target bases of Operation Shujaa, impose taxes on local populations, and promote conversion to Islam, notably during a meeting held on November 5 in the village of Elake in Mambasa territory.