Country Report on Terrorism 2024 - Chapter 1 - Democratic Republic of Congo

Country Overview:  ISIS-DRC, also known as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), attacked civilians and security forces in eastern DRC, primarily in North Kivu and Ituri Provinces, killing hundreds.  ISIS-DRC targeted Christians in approximately 88 of 315 terrorist incidents and used attacks to recruit members through coercion, abduction, and propaganda.  The DRC lacked the capacity to patrol its porous borders, prompting joint Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces operations against ISIS-DRC.

The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly its Force Intervention Brigade, provided intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support to these efforts.  Congolese security forces focused on preventing territorial advances in eastern DRC by the Rwanda Defense Forces and the Rwanda-backed, U.S./UN-sanctioned M23 armed group.  In May, DRC authorities convicted nine ISIS-DRC members of crimes against humanity, including sexual violence and war crimes.  A joint DRC-Ugandan military operation in Ituri’s Mount Hoyo forest rescued 40 hostages, including women and children.  The DRC remained on the FATF gray list and worked with FATF and Task Force on Money Laundering in Central Africa in 2024 to strengthen its AML/CFT regime.

2024 Terrorism Trends:  Democratic Republic of the Congo reported 753 terrorism incidents in 2024, a 15 percent increase over 2023, the majority of which were against Christians.  ISIS-DRC intensified its frequency and lethality of attacks against civilians and Christians across North Kivu and Ituri Provinces.  Multiple senior ISIS-DRC commanders and combatants reportedly were killed or arrested in 2024.

Verknüpfte Dokumente