Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi is determined to take up the fight against Islamist groups in his country and is asking France for help, Tshisekedi said during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.
“In my country, the DRC, in the east, a group has emerged with an Islamic tendency, an Islamic discourse and Islamic methods,” Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said in Paris.
“I am more determined than ever to eradicate them, and I am counting on the support of France,” he added. The Congolese president is visiting French President Macron.
In these words, the Congolese president refers to the infamous ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) militia, which is considered one of the most violent armed groups in the region. On March 11, the United States also placed this armed group on the “terrorist groups” affiliated with IS.
The ADF militia is accused of being responsible for the deaths of thousands of Congolese civilians. The militia has been ravaging the Beni region and environs in eastern Congo for more than seven years.
According to experts at the Kivu Security Barometer, they have already killed nearly 2,000 civilians since April 2017.