CODECO militia blamed for killing 20+ civilians in eastern DRC

CODECO militia members have killed more than 20 civilians in a village in the gold-rich Ituri province in northeast Democratic Republic of Congo [DRC], according to the AFP news agency.

AFP said Friday's massacre was blamed by local sources on the Cooperative for the Development of Congo [CODECO] militia which claims to be fighting for the interests of the Lendu tribe against the rival Hema tribe.

Another attack earlier this month in eastern DRC claimed lives of at least ten people. The attack was blamed on the Allied Democratic Forces [ADF].

Other attacks have been blamed on powerful M23 rebels, which Kinshasa blames neighbouring Rwanda for backing. Kigali rejects Kinshasa's accusations of supporting the Tutsi dominated rebel group.

Decades of violence

Eastern DRC has struggled with armed violence for decades as more than 120 groups fight for power, land and valuable mineral resources, while others try to defend their communities.

Some armed groups have been accused of mass killings.

The violence has displaced nearly seven million people, many beyond the reach of aid.

The UN peacekeeping mission in DRC, which helped in the fight against rebels for more than two decades before being asked by the Congolese government to leave over its failure to end the conflict, will complete its withdrawal by the end of 2024.

The three-phased withdrawal of the 15,000-force has begun in South Kivu province.

The government also told an East African regional force, deployed last year to help end the fighting, to leave the country for similar reasons.