Rebels Kill 24 in DR Congo’s Beni as Ethiopia Orthodox Toll Hits 94

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A road in Beni, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (file photo). Photo: MONUSCO Photos, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Civil-society leaders in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo said rebels killed at least 24 civilians in overnight attacks on villages in Beni territory, as Ethiopian media reported gunmen killed 34 more Orthodox Christians in Oromia — raising a church-linked toll to at least 94 in less than three weeks — and Sudanese military sources said the army regained two areas in North Kordofan from the Rapid Support Forces.

Key figures: 24 civilians provisionally reported killed in beni territory attacks · 94 orthodox christian death toll in ethiopia’s oromia attacks · 2 north kordofan areas sudanese military sources said the army regained

Jean Katuho, a civil-society leader in Beni, said suspected Allied Democratic Forces rebels launched simultaneous attacks on several villages overnight Thursday into Friday and that the provisional toll was 24 civilians killed, with houses and businesses burned as attackers fled toward the forest, Anadolu Agency reported. Local media said residents fled to nearby localities. Earlier Thursday, MONUSCO head James Swan met North Kivu provincial leaders and said the protection of civilians remains the mission’s priority, requiring an active presence, regular patrols and better coordination. Ugandan and Congolese forces have conducted joint operations against ADF rebels since 2021; attribution for this specific raid was given by local civil society as rebels.

Ethiopia: Orthodox toll climbs to 94

At least 34 Ethiopian Orthodox Christians were killed Thursday in Endato village, Robe district, in Oromia, bringing the reported death toll from attacks on worshippers to at least 94 in less than three weeks, Anadolu reported, citing local media including Meseret Media. The attack followed Oct. 20 and Oct. 24 incidents in Merti and Shirka districts where at least 60 Orthodox Christians were killed, according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. The church’s Holy Synod condemned the earlier killings on Oct. 26. On Wednesday, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission attributed the earlier attacks to the Oromo Liberation Army; authorities said nearly 70 suspects were arrested after those killings. These are attributed figures; independent court findings are not cited here.

Sudan: Army claims in North Kordofan

Military sources told Anadolu that Sudanese army forces and allies recaptured Kazgeil and Abu Qaoud in North Kordofan after fighting with the Rapid Support Forces, claiming heavy RSF casualties and the destruction of dozens of combat vehicles, Anadolu reported. The areas lie about 45 kilometers (28 miles) south of El-Obeid along a supply route toward South Kordofan. Those are army claims and were not independently verified in the opened sources. Videos purported to show army control circulated on social media. war.gov carried no Africa strike release in the window checked, war.gov RSS.

By the numbers

Beni’s provisional civilian toll is 24. Ethiopia’s church-linked Orthodox toll stands at at least 94 after 34 newly reported deaths on top of at least 60 from the October Merti and Shirka attacks. By TBR calculation from Anadolu’s Ethiopia figures, the new Endato killings account for about 36% of the cumulative 94-toll (34 ÷ 94). Sudanese military sources claimed two North Kordofan localities regained — Kazgeil and Abu Qaoud — roughly 45 kilometers south of El-Obeid.

Sources

• Anadolu Agency: At least 24 civilians killed in rebel attack in DR Congo
• Anadolu Agency: Gunmen kill 34 more Orthodox Christians in Ethiopia, raising death toll to 94
• Anadolu Agency: Sudanese army regains control of 2 areas in North Kordofan after clashes with RSF
• US Department of War: war.gov News and Releases RSS feed