Overview
Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) forces abducted 25 civilians in 10 attacks in November, with a significant majority of abductions occurring in eastern Central African Republic (CAR). A series of clashes involving ex-Séléka factions in and near Bria, CAR, left at least 14 civilians dead in late November. Armed groups continued to be active in northern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), particularly along the border with South Sudan’s Western Equatoria state.
Armed group attacks on civilians in eastern CAR and northeastern DRC, November 2016.
Low levels of LRA violence consistent with previous years
The number of civilians abducted by the LRA in November (25) was consistent with previous years, when LRA activity in November has been lower before increasing from December–March during the dry season. A significant majority of the LRA’s abductions in November (19) occurred in two attacks on the mining community of Yangou-Péndéré in the CAR’s Haute Kotto prefecture, the first on 9 November and the second on 24 November. Yangou-Péndéré lies just 50km from the Kafia Kingi enclave, where LRA leader Joseph Kony’s group most frequently operates.In DRC, LRA attacks were clustered near the village of Nambia in Haut Uélé province. An LRA group conducted four attacks there between November 4–13, primarily looting food and other supplies.
The number of civilians abducted by the LRA in November (25) was consistent with previous years, when LRA activity in November has been lower before increasing from December–March during the dry season. A significant majority of the LRA’s abductions in November (19) occurred in two attacks on the mining community of Yangou-Péndéré in the CAR’s Haute Kotto prefecture, the first on 9 November and the second on 24 November. Yangou-Péndéré lies just 50km from the Kafia Kingi enclave, where LRA leader Joseph Kony’s group most frequently operates.In DRC, LRA attacks were clustered near the village of Nambia in Haut Uélé province. An LRA group conducted four attacks there between November 4–13, primarily looting food and other supplies.
LRA violence against civilians, January-November 2016.
Attacks by armed groups in DRC’s Haut Uélé Province
Armed groups continued to be active in DRC’s Haut Uélé province along the border with South Sudan in November. South Sudanese armed men, likely linked to Alfred Fatuyo’s rebel militia, looted a household on November 22 near the village of Bangulu, where the borders of CAR, DRC, and South Sudan meet. Fatuyo’s forces may have been responsible for three additional attacks in that area in November that were attributed to unidentified armed groups. These attacks included the alleged temporary abduction of 40 civilians near Doruma on November 26 during raids aimed at looting food and other supplies. Fresh evidence of abuses against civilians by armed groups and the South Sudanese state security forces across the border in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria State also emerged in November, highlighting the dynamics that have led to the spillover of armed groups and refugees into DRC.
Armed groups continued to be active in DRC’s Haut Uélé province along the border with South Sudan in November. South Sudanese armed men, likely linked to Alfred Fatuyo’s rebel militia, looted a household on November 22 near the village of Bangulu, where the borders of CAR, DRC, and South Sudan meet. Fatuyo’s forces may have been responsible for three additional attacks in that area in November that were attributed to unidentified armed groups. These attacks included the alleged temporary abduction of 40 civilians near Doruma on November 26 during raids aimed at looting food and other supplies. Fresh evidence of abuses against civilians by armed groups and the South Sudanese state security forces across the border in South Sudan’s Central Equatoria State also emerged in November, highlighting the dynamics that have led to the spillover of armed groups and refugees into DRC.
Programmatic Updates
Invisible Children hosted a workshop on Enhancing Cross-Border Community Protection Mechanisms to Improve Security in the Greater Garamba Area in Arua, Uganda, from 15–17 November. The workshop brought together civil society, NGO, and government representatives from DRC, South Sudan, Uganda, and the international community to discuss the intersection of human security and wildlife conservation in the Greater Garamba Area and identify concrete steps to reduce the threat that armed groups pose to civilians and wildlife.
Invisible Children hosted a workshop on Enhancing Cross-Border Community Protection Mechanisms to Improve Security in the Greater Garamba Area in Arua, Uganda, from 15–17 November. The workshop brought together civil society, NGO, and government representatives from DRC, South Sudan, Uganda, and the international community to discuss the intersection of human security and wildlife conservation in the Greater Garamba Area and identify concrete steps to reduce the threat that armed groups pose to civilians and wildlife.
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