Amnesty International: ADF Committed War Crimes in Eastern DRC

Amnesty International’s May 2026 report documents war crimes by the Allied Democratic Forces in eastern DRC.

Amnesty International has released a new report alleging that the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2025 and 2026.

• The report, published May 5, 2026, documents violent attacks by the ADF—including killings, abductions, forced labor, recruitment and use of children, and sexual violence against women and girls.
• Amnesty conducted research on-site in North Kivu in November 2025, interviewing 71 people, 45 of whom were victims and survivors.
• Researchers documented eight ADF attacks in Ituri and North Kivu provinces—seven in 2025, one in 2024—and identified 46 abduction cases, including seven hostage situations involving ransom demands.

According to Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International's Secretary General: "Civilians in the eastern DRC have suffered extensive brutality at the hands of ADF fighters. They have been killed, abducted and tortured in a dehumanizing campaign of abuse. The ADF's violence is contributing to an escalating humanitarian crisis."

The report concludes that these acts constitute clear violations of international humanitarian law: "These abuses constitute war crimes which the world must not continue to ignore. As part of widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population, they also amount to crimes against humanity."

The ADF originated in Uganda in the 1990s and became affiliated with the Islamic State in 2019. Ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, involving multiple armed groups, continues to impede legal accountability and civilian protection.

The Amnesty report calls attention to the urgent need for international response and legal action to address both humanitarian and justice gaps in the region.