North Kivu and Ituri: UPDF proposes the establishment of local defence structures to counter ADF attacks

In response to the intensification of massacres perpetrated by the ADF in North Kivu and Ituri, Ugandan Major General Stéphane Mugerwa, a partner of the FARDC in the joint "Shujaa" operations, suggested on 7 October 2025 the creation of local defence structures to protect the population during jihadist incursions. According to him, these local defenders could secure towns and villages while the FARDC and UPDF operate in the hinterland. This idea, already raised by Congolese authorities since 2021, has been revived in a context where ADF attacks have killed dozens of people in recent months, particularly in Komanda, Beni and Ntoyo, and where the enemy continues to bypass military positions to strike unprotected villages. Local actors and legal experts stress that the implementation of this initiative would require a strict legal framework to arm certain civilians in self-defence, in a context where military operations alone have not been sufficient to stem the threat.

The period from late September to mid-October 2025 marked a tense turning point for the Democratic Republic of Congo, where diplomacy, security, and governance remain closely intertwined. Despite renewed peace efforts under the Doha and Washington agreements, strained relations between Kinshasa and Kigali and the continued M23 offensives in North and South Kivu highlighted the fragility of regional stability. Domestically, political turbulence-from crises within provincial assemblies to corruption investigations-reflected persistent institutional weaknesses. Economically, the government sought to demonstrate progress through currency stabilization, the digitalization of trade, and major infrastructure and energy agreements. However, these advances contrast sharply with social hardship, persistent violence, and humanitarian crises. Overall, the DRC finds itself at a crossroads: while international partners advocate reform and peace, the gap between commitments and reality on the ground continues to define the Congolese landscape.