Eastern DR Congo: Armed clashes and insecurity trigger civilian panic

Violence and insecurity continue to escalate in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. In Walikale, North Kivu, two factions of the Raiya Mutomboki armed group—those affiliated with Korea and those under Demulu—engaged in heavy fighting in Karete on September 27. The clashes caused residents to flee into the bush and forced the suspension of traffic on the Itebero-Hombo axis, threatening local supply chains.

In the Ituri province, panic spread through the village of Banana on September 28 following gunfire from two soldiers traveling toward Bandisede. This incident follows a deadly attack on the night of September 27, attributed to ADF rebels, which killed two people, including a member of the FARDC. Local civil society leaders have called for the arrest of the soldiers involved, citing the need for responsible security conduct to protect a population already traumatized by rebel threats and ongoing instability.