Democratic Republic of Congo

Amnesty Report Documents Alleged ADF Atrocities in Eastern DRC

Is the ADF the ignored face of DRC's crisis or is Rwanda-backed M23 the true driver of the catastrophe?

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Amnesty Report Documents Alleged ADF Atrocities in Eastern DRC

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Above: Volunteers offload freshly built coffins needed to bury the victims of a recent attack in Ntoyo on Sept. 10, 2025. Image credit: Seros Muyisa/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

The ADF’s campaign of terror in eastern DRC is unfolding within a conflict the international community is working to address. Amnesty International has documented the atrocities, while the U.S. has backed regional peace efforts and sanctioned figures like Kabila over rebel links. Although tracking multiple armed groups is difficult, the international community is acting to ensure that the ADF is not left unchecked.

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Establishment-critical narrative

The crisis in eastern DRC goes far beyond the ADF — Rwanda-backed M23 rebels are committing large-scale atrocities with direct support from Rwanda’s forces. U.S. sanctions on Rwanda and Kabila acknowledge this, but remain tied to strategic interests like securing critical minerals rather than resolving the conflict. Without consistent accountability across all actors, international responses risk sustaining the instability they claim to address.

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