The Forgotten Victims Of The Conflict In The Western DRC
In western Democratic Republic of Congo, clashes between the Teke and Yaka communities have spiraled into violence carried out by Mobondo militias. Deployed in 2022, the Congolese army is now struggling to protect civilians in a conflict that has largely gone unnoticed.
Along the strip of asphalt stretching 150 kilometers west toward the Congolese capital, the red berets of Colonel Matambwe march through the small town of Bankana with local youth. The health march was organized "against tribalism and to encourage dialogue between civilians and the military," explained the officer from the Republican Guard – the elite unit in charge of protecting President Félix Tshisekedi.
Since March, fighting has lessened in this region, torn apart by three years of violence between the Teke and Yaka communities. The Congolese armed forces, which were deployed in 2022 to contain the attacks, have been ordered to stop pursuing the Mobondo, grassroots militias mainly recruiting from the Yaka community, who are responsible for attacks on civilians. Yet this conflict, fueled by customary disputes and responsible for several hundred deaths, is far from being resolved.
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