Kandoyi and Bandiboli attacks

Civil war has raged in Eastern Congo since the late 2000s, with rebel groups such as Mai-Mai, M23, and the jihadist Islamic State – Central Africa Province all fighting to control territory along ethnic and religious lines against the Congolese government and MONUSCO.^[5] In recent months, fighting in Ituri province, where Kandoyi and Bandiboli are located, has intensified.^[5] ISCAP attacks have killed over 370 civilians since April 2022.^[5] Just a day before the Kandoyi and Bandiboli attacks, rebels of the Zaire militia attacked a funeral in the ethnically-Musaba village of Damas, killing 22 people and injuring 16 others.^[4]

On the night of Friday, August 5, alleged ISCAP rebels attacked the village of Kandoyi, killing between nine and ten people in the village, while also burning houses down. One civilian was also killed in Bandiboli.^[2][3][4] On Saturday morning, rebels attacked Bandiboli, killing five civilians.^[4] Fighting between the Congolese army and rebels also began in Bandiboli on Saturday morning.^[6] A Congolese army captain was also killed in the clashes, although it is unknown which village.