29 Hostages Freed From ADF Terror in Eastern Congo
After weeks in the bush, survivors reunite with families—even as trauma and fear of new attacks linger among Ituri’s Christian communities.
In late October 2026, joint operations by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) freed 29 people held hostage by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in Ituri province in the east of the country. Many of those seized were Christians living under the group’s long campaign of killings, kidnappings, and raids.
An Ituri official said the community could rejoice that, after nearly a month in captivity in the bush, several survivors were gradually reuniting with their families thanks to the joint FARDC and UPDF effort. The same official added that many still struggle with the physical and psychological trauma inflicted by the terrorists.
Captivity in the forests of Biakato and Alimbako
Some hostages were abducted while working in their fields and held in the forests of Biakato, Alimbako, and surrounding areas. They were tied up, robbed, and moved from camp to camp—some for nearly a month—amid hunger and constant threats.
A survivor from Biakato recalled: “We were in the fields harvesting cassava when the ADF suddenly appeared.” The captors, he said, “tied us up, took our motorcycles, and brought us into the bush where we suffered seriously.” He added that “many of us died in different circumstances, from hunger, mistreatment, illness, and slaughter.”
A military official said the 29 hostages rescued along the Nduye-Dingbo road will receive help to return to their communities. Authorities say they are arranging safe returns to families and will not abandon them. Residents have been urged to report suspicious movements and anyone suspected of aiding armed militants. The official said forces will do everything possible to rescue people from criminals and the ADF.
Joy mixed with lasting fear
For local Christians, the release has brought joy and hope after weeks of fear. Pain and trauma remain. Many still dread further ADF attacks and continue to pray for lasting peace, protection, and the safe return of those still missing or held captive.
The ADF has for years terrorized large parts of eastern Congo. Its violence has fallen heavily on Christian communities through murder, abduction, and the disruption of ordinary life—farm work, family, and parish life included. The recovery of these 29 people does not end the threat, but it marks a concrete deliverance for families who had lived under the shadow of the bush camps.
Church teaching on the dignity of every person and the duty to protect the innocent frames the stakes for the faithful who remain exposed. As survivors rejoin their homes, the need for security, care for the wounded in body and mind, and prayer for those not yet free remains urgent in Ituri.