Around 20 civilians have been killed in a late-night assault on a Catholic health facility in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), sparking renewed concern from missionaries over escalating violence in the region.
The attack took place on 14 November in Byambwe, a remote village in North Kivu’s Diocese of Butembo-Beni. Armed men from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group linked to the Islamic State, reportedly stormed a medical centre run by the Little Sisters of the Presentation.
Local sources told Vatican News that patients were killed in their beds before the assailants set fire to the clinic, including its maternity unit. Nearby homes were also torched as the attackers moved through the village and then disappeared into the forest.
Father Giovanni Piumatti, an Italian missionary with more than fifty years’ experience in the area, described the killings as “horrific” and consistent with the ADF’s brutal tactics. He said fifteen people were killed in the clinic and five in surrounding areas, while 27 homes were destroyed. He added that some civilians were beheaded or had their throats cut, and mothers were attacked while breastfeeding.
“The army pursued them, but the attackers escaped,” Fr Piumatti said. “They seem to be better armed than the regular forces.” He also noted that many residents have fled their homes, with some yet to return.
The clinic had been a vital source of healthcare for families in the region, providing maternal care, general medicine, and basic surgery. With the facility destroyed, the sisters are now caring for survivors on the streets. Several newborns are feared to have been abducted during the attack.
Fr Piumatti criticised what he called the “shameful silence” of the international community. “Kivu is rich in minerals, and that is why these Islamist groups receive backing,” he said. “These conflicts serve commercial interests, and the world’s silence is profoundly troubling.”
The ADF has long operated in North Kivu, often abducting children and killing civilians in fields and villages. Earlier this year, the group was believed to be responsible for an attack on a Christian congregation in Komanda, Ituri Province, which Pope Leo XIV condemned during his 30 July General Audience.
Although recent diplomatic efforts, including a US-brokered deal between Congo and Rwanda, have addressed some regional conflicts, clashes with insurgent groups such as M23 continue across eastern DRC, while Islamist-related violence is escalating.
Adapted from CT UK.
