SUMMARY
In northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire), the territories of Djugu, Irumu, and Mambasa in Ituri province experienced a resurgence of communal violence from 2020 onward, fueled by resource competition, ethnic polarization, and the weakening of state institutions. During this period, a coalition of militiamen from FPIC Chambre noire Sanduku and URDPC jointly attacked civilians. This coalition was particularly active in areas with artisanal gold mining or contested access routes.
The coalition actors, particularly URDPC, claimed to defend Lendu communities or retaliate against state neglect and abuses. The Bira militia FPIC framed its activities in similar ethno-political terms. However, their pattern of violence targeted unarmed civilians, including returning displaced people, miners, and village populations uninvolved in the fighting.
The FPIC, URDPC coalition employed consistent and brutal tactics against civilians, combining small arms fire, machete attacks, and looting. Their attacks occurred mostly at night or in the early morning, often in remote villages or gold mining camps where government presence was minimal. Assailants killed civilians at point-blank range, destroyed homes, and stole livestock, food, and mining equipment. In multiple incidents, entire households were targeted, including women and children, while survivors were left injured by bladed weapons. Widespread pillaging followed the killings, with shops, livestock pens, and mining concessions looted.
The coalition's violence spanned a wide area including the Banyali-Kilo, Walendu-Djatsi, and Walendu-Tatsi sectors in Djugu territory, as well as parts of Irumu and Mambasa. Attacks concentrated along mining zones near Mongbwalu, in villages such as Exodus, Kokonyangi, Sebaido, Sabahido, and Gbalana. These locations held economic value.
FPIC Chambre noire sanduku, URDPC first became active as a one-sided actor in UCDP data in 2022, when the one-sided violence resulted in at least 25 civilian deaths. The threshold was reached on 16 January when they killed civilians at the hall of evangelisation at Kokonyangi village in Irumu territory also looting the village.
