A new attack by suspected CODECO militiamen has plunged the town of Tsotso in Djugu territory, Ituri.

A recent assault attributed to suspected CODECO militiamen has raised alarm in Tsotso, a town situated roughly 40 kilometers north of Bunia in the Djugu region of Ituri. The attack, which occurred on Saturday, June 7, resulted in four fatalities and three injuries, as reported by local civil society groups. This violent episode coincided with funeral services for seven individuals who had lost their lives in a prior attack by the same militia just two days earlier. While residents gathered for the funerals, the attackers opened fire on those who remained, leading to the deaths of four men and injuring three others. Additionally, a stray bullet struck a woman in the nearby town of Nizi. In light of this surge in violence, residents of Tsotso, along with individuals from neighboring communities such as Kpawi, Dhedi, and Sanga, have fled to seek safety in areas considered more secure, including Matete, Sey, Balabala, and Matumad’i. Panic ensued, prompting those who had attended the funerals to avoid returning home. The response from the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and MONUSCO peacekeepers has not sufficiently assuaged the fears of a population traumatized by ongoing rebel assaults. Local civil society organizations have voiced concerns about the persistent insecurity and are advocating for a permanent deployment of FARDC forces in the region. Currently, the FARDC base is located in Lopa, approximately six kilometers from Tsotso. In a related development, clashes were reported on Saturday in Piko between CODECO and Zaire militia groups. Overnight from Saturday to Sunday, FARDC successfully repelled an attack by the Zaire militia in Liko, managing to do so without any reported casualties. Since the start of June, violence in the traditional areas of Baguru and Mambisa has claimed at least 20 lives. Despite the interventions by FARDC and MONUSCO forces, attacks by armed groups continue to escalate, plunging local communities into a deepening crisis of despair and insecurity.