Suspected ADF rebels burn 7 tons of cocoa in DRC

Ituri, DRC | THE INDEPENDENT | More than seven tons of Cocoa and a public transport vehicle were on Thursday evening set on fire and burnt to ashes by suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels at Mahu village, Bangole Mambasa territory in Ituri province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

According to locals, the rebels emerged from the bush and grabbed the residents who were in the market in the center of Mahu and surrounded Kivu Agricultural Trading Company store located along with national road number four, where many tons of cocoa are stored.

Éric Munga, the manager of the cocoa store where the incident occurred says that the rebels first looted unspecified kilograms of cocoa before setting fire on the store. Munga also says that rebels also grabbed the residents who were at the market in Mahu and went with them.

He says that five people were killed in the process.

Jonh Vulerio, the civil society coordinator of Mambasa territory says that what happened could increase because the enemy continued its abuses in the villages of Lukaya and Makumbise, not far from the scene of the Mahu.

Vulerio has pleaded for the strengthening of security in this area in order to allow the free movement of people, people, and their belongings.   He also says that locals in Mambasa territory have become the target of attack for some time by alleged ADF rebels fleeing joint Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (French: Forces armées de la république démocratique du Congo([FARDC) and Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) military operations against them in North Kivu.

He accounts that on this month 13, three people were killed and four police officers taken hostage by the suspected ADF rebels in Bera village in the same territory. Two vehicles were also set on fire by the rebels.

Jefferson Abdallah, Mambasa territory administrator could not comment on the matter saying that he has not yet confirmed the incident but adds that he is awaiting ample information from a team dispatched by the operations command.

Uganda’s and DR Congo’s military have continued their offensive against the ADF rebels in the northeastern region of the huge, central African country. The campaign has entered its third week and so far, 34 rebels have been captured and four camps disbanded.  Thirty one other captives were freed, according to Antony Mualushayi, the FARDC spokesperson.

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