An attack on the village of Nkana in western Congo has left 14 people dead, deepening the turmoil in a region long shaken by disputes over land ownership between rival communities.
The assault occurred in the early hours of Sunday, approximately 75 kilometres northeast of Kinshasa, according to Capt. Antony Mualushayi (spokesperson for the local military command), on November 24.
Armed with rifles and machetes, the attackers clashed with the small contingent of soldiers stationed in the village. As they retreated, the assailants killed 13 civilians — including three children under the age of five — and set several homes ablaze. One soldier was also confirmed dead.
Authorities say the attack was carried out by the Mobondo militia, a group aligned with the Yaka community in the long-running conflict with the Teke people in Kwamouth territory. The violence, rooted in competing land and customary claims, erupted in mid-2022 and has since spiralled into a major security crisis.
According to the International Peace Information Service, more than 5,000 people have been killed and 280,000 displaced. Mobondo fighters have been implicated in attacks across five provinces surrounding Kinshasa, including areas on the capital’s outskirts, the United Nations reports.