Beni massacre

Beni massacre
Part of Allied Democratic Forces insurgency and Kivu conflict
An image taken of the small city of Beni.
Location	Rwangoma, Beni, Virunga National Park, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
Date	14 August 2016 (CAT)
Weapons	Melee attack
Deaths	At least 64–101 killed in Beni massacre 3 killed, at least 15 wounded in protests 19–23 killed in Tshimbulu incident Over 700-1,300 killed in related massacres in Beni since October 2014 & over 1,150 killed and kidnapped in North Kivu
Non-fatal injuries	Unknown
Perpetrator	Allied Democratic Forces (blamed)

On 14 August 2016, multiple assailants raided the district of Rwangoma in the city of Beni which is located in North Kivu of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The city is located in the popular Virunga National Park. At least 64 people were killed, as 64 bodies have been located and the search is ongoing. Officials estimate the death toll to be from 75 to 101. An unknown number of people were injured. The Ugandan rebel group Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) were suspected to be behind to attack by the DRC, although the militant group Boko Haram have been known to commit similar incidents in the past. The incident is another in a series of massacres in Beni that have left over 700 people dead since October 2014.

Since October 2014 over 700 civilians have been killed in a series of massacres in and around Beni alone, with over 1,150 people being killed and kidnapped, and thousands more being displaced in North Kivu province since 2014. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and DRC President Joseph Kabila spoke about seeking a coordinated military strategy against the ADF during a 4 August meeting. On 8 August, less than one week before the massacre, an "armed group" killed 14 people near Beni. The blame for this attack centred on Mai-Mai ethnic militias, ethnic militant groups, and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda. 150 houses were destroyed in this attack that occurred immediately after President Joseph Kabila left the area. The president was in Beni three days before the 14 August massacre. Another attack by the ADF left a group of soldiers and UN peacekeepers wounded not long before the attack.

Attackers passed by military bases before going into the city, yet did not attack anyone there. The men came out of the forest near the city, and some were disguised as army members. The attackers were described as using melee weapons, and hacked people to death. Some attackers were spotted with guns, yet they were only seen using the guns as melee weapons. Machetes were also wielded by the attackers, with 51 bodies being found with machete wounds. The attack occurred during nighttime, confirmed Beni mayor Nyonyi Bwanakawa. The DRC claimed that they had found 64 bodies and were still searching, and officials said that the death toll will eventually reach 75 or 101. The number of injured is unknown, although Al Jazeera was able to locate a wounded survivor, who provided an interview.