A wave of fear has swept through Byambwe, a quiet village in North Kivu, after armed ADF militants raided a church-run health centre late Friday night, killing more than twenty people and leaving survivors in deep shock.
The attackers struck at around 10:00 PM, targeting a Catholic-owned health facility operated by the Sisters of the Presentation. Many of those killed were bedridden patients who had no chance to escape. Witnesses say the rebels stormed the compound, killed patients with extreme brutality, and then set the entire building on fire. Several pregnant mothers in the maternity ward were among the victims, according to early reports.
The armed group also moved through the surrounding village, destroying homes and attacking residents before fleeing into the nearby forest. Local authorities say the health centre and more than two dozen homes were burnt completely.
A veteran missionary, Fr. Giovanni Piumatti, who served in the Butembo-Beni Diocese for over five decades, confirmed the incident. He expressed deep sorrow over the repeated massacres in the region and warned that the killings have become routine. He noted that many victims are murdered in the most disturbing ways, describing the violence as “beyond imagination.”
According to church sources, the attackers are believed to be the same rebels linked to earlier assaults in Ituri Province, including the July 27 attack on a Christian congregation in Komanda where worshippers were hacked and shot inside the church. That attack drew international condemnation.
The health centre targeted in Byambwe serves communities that lack proper hospitals. The sisters mainly help expectant mothers, run small clinics, and offer minor surgical care. The destruction of the facility has now left thousands without essential medical support.
Residents say the ADF, many of whom originate from Uganda, have operated freely in North Kivu for years. They attack villages, block roads, kidnap children, and forcibly recruit young people into their ranks. Survivors claim the rebels often use drugs on captives and force young recruits to participate in killings.
As panic spreads, many families have abandoned their homes. The surviving sisters are now offering basic care to victims along the roadsides, since their medical centre lies in ruins.
Church leaders and local communities have criticised what they describe as the silence of the international community, accusing powerful global interests of ignoring the suffering in the region because of the area’s vast mineral wealth. They say armed groups continue to receive weapons and funding, enabling endless violence that benefits those seeking control of the region’s resources.
Authorities are still assessing the number of missing people, including newborn babies believed to have been abducted. Although none of the sisters were reported killed, the emotional toll on the community is immense.
Residents now live in fear, not knowing when the next attack will strike, as the cycle of violence continues in North Kivu with little sign of relief.