DR Congo: Islamic State-linked Fighters Attack Army, Mining Site in Bunia

BUNIA, Democratic Republic of Congo: Suspected fighters linked to Islamic State attacked Congolese army positions and a mining site in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, killing a military captain and several soldiers in an ambush, local officials and security sources said on Sunday.

The assault occurred on March 14 in Mambasa territory, where armed men targeted positions of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and nearby mining operations.

According to security officials in the region, a FARDC delegation travelling near the village of Penge was ambushed by the attackers, resulting in the death of a captain and several soldiers.

“The attackers ambushed the army unit and managed to seize some weapons and military equipment after clashes with the soldiers,” a local security official in Mambasa told ChimpReports this Sunday morning, requesting anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly.

Local authorities said the assault also affected mining areas around Muchacha, where Kimia Mining operates.

“The Muchacha area has experienced repeated insecurity because of the presence of armed groups targeting both the army and mining activities,” a local administrative official in Mambasa said. “This latest attack has created fear among residents and workers in the mining sector.”

The attack was claimed by Islamic State through its propaganda channels, which circulated images purportedly showing the assault. Reuters could not independently verify the images.

Eastern Congo has long been plagued by violence from dozens of armed groups competing for control of territory and resources. Among them is the Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamist militia originally formed in Uganda that later pledged allegiance to Islamic State.

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The group operates mainly in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu and has been blamed for frequent attacks on civilians, soldiers and mining sites despite ongoing military operations by Congolese forces and regional partners.

Local officials said the Congolese army had launched operations to track down the attackers following the ambush, though security remains fragile across large parts of Ituri province.