ISIS-linked Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) escalates its brutal campaign in Eastern DRC
- Human Rights Research Center
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
Author: Aamnah Fatima Khan
May 7, 2026
HRRC condemns these brutal acts of violence against civilians and calls for immediate international accountability for ISIS-affiliated perpetrators. We call for greater joint military protection, rapid response mechanisms and comprehensive rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for survivors and affected communities.
![A Congolese soldier at a base in Semuliki along the DRC-Uganda border region. Ugandan and Congolese troops have fought ADF rebels side by side [Image credit: Sebastien Kitsa Musayi/AFP]](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e28a6b_703a3a124411435ca797524d3541ddc1~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_49,h_33,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_avif,quality_auto/e28a6b_703a3a124411435ca797524d3541ddc1~mv2.png)
The Islamic State (ISIS), a transnational extremist militant group that has been known for its violent insurgency and global network of affiliates, is increasingly associated with a rise in atrocities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through its Central Africa affiliate, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).
According to Amnesty International, the ADF, affiliated with ISIS, has escalated a campaign of extreme violence against civilians, including acts that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. In 2019, the group pledged allegiance to ISIS and has since adopted more brutal and systematic tactics to terrorize communities.
One of the deadliest attacks saw fighters disguised as mourners kill more than 60 civilians at a wake in Ntoyo village using guns, machetes and axes. In another attack, militants “shot anything that moved” at a health facility, killing at least 17 people.
The ADF has also kidnapped civilians for forced labor, sexual slavery and ransom, torturing, starving and killing those who resisted. Children as young as 10 have been recruited and forced to fight, and women and girls have been coerced into marriages, often leading to repeated abuse and forced pregnancies.
The group’s increasing boldness and brutality are apparent in recent attacks, including a church massacre that left more than 40 people dead. Joint military operations by Congolese and Ugandan forces have failed to curb ADF activities, which have expanded by taking advantage of the global distraction from other regional conflicts to intensify operations.
The violence has forced communities to flee, disrupted access to food and health services and worsened an already terrible humanitarian crisis, with Amnesty warning that continued international disregard could further destabilize the region.
Glossary
Abduction – the act of making a person go somewhere with you, especially using threats or violence.
Affiliates – to bring or receive into close connection as a member or branch.
Allegiance – loyalty and support for a ruler, country, group, or belief.
Atrocities – an extremely cruel, violent, or shocking act.
Coerced – to persuade someone forcefully to do something that they are unwilling to do.
Condemns – to criticize something or someone strongly, usually for moral reasons.
Flee – to escape by running away, especially because of danger or fear.
Humanitarian Crisis – A humanitarian crisis in a country, region or society where there is a total or considerable breakdown of authority resulting from internal or external conflict and which requires an international response that goes beyond the mandate or capacity of any single agency and/ or the ongoing United Nations country program. [As per the United Nations (UN)]
Insurgency – Insurgency is an uprising or rebellion by an organized group against their government or governing authority. [As per Oxford Public International Law]
Machetes – a large, heavy knife used for cutting sugarcane and underbrush and as a weapon.
Massacre – an act of killing a lot of people.
Mourners – a person who is feeling or expressing sadness, or who is at a funeral.
Perpetrators – someone who has committed a crime or a violent or harmful act.
Ransom – a consideration paid or demanded for the release of someone or something from captivity.
Rehabilitation – a set of interventions designed to optimize functioning and reduce disability in individuals with health conditions in interaction with their environment. [As per the World Health Organization (WHO)]
Reintegration - the re-inclusion or re-incorporation of a migrant into the society of his/her country of origin. It is a process that requires adjusting to a new life, reconnecting with family and friends, and making plans for the future. [As per the International Organization for Migration (IOM)]
References