Residents of Cantine-Aloya in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo recalled the terrifying moments they fled their homes under gunfire during an overnight attack by suspected rebels that left dozens dead and buildings destroyed.
Footage filmed on Friday shows locals walking through the ruins, clearing rubble and surveying the devastation as fires continue to burn among the debris. Congolese soldiers are also seen patrolling the area.
“It was around 11:30 p.m. when we heard gunshots. We stayed quiet, thinking it was our security officers on patrol. But then we heard them ordering us to open our doors and threatening to burn down our homes,” shared witness Katembo Mahamba Jonas.
He persisted, “That’s when we started fleeing, leaving everything behind. We thought our neighbours were warning us to escape, but we found ourselves caught in a trap. Anyone who stepped outside their home was shot.”
Jonas also recalled discovering that people he knew had been killed.
“This used to be a hospital, and some of our neighbours have already been killed. I know them by name. On the other side, two people were killed in that house over there, and two of our younger brothers also lost their lives,” he said.
“From the time we started assessing the situation until now, I have counted around 30 deaths and significant property damage, including burned houses, motorcycles and businesses,” remembered Tshetshe Aliamini, civil society rapporteur for Baswagha-Madiwe.
The attack, attributed to suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants, targeted the Kananga, Lubumbashi and Yambi Yaya neighbourhoods of Cantine-Aloya.
Initial reports put the death toll at around 20, while local civil society representatives later reported approximately 30 fatalities.
Source: Viory
