Expert Comment
Is the ADF expansion threatening Ebola containment in the DRC?
ACLED’s Senior Africa Analyst, Ladd Serwat, comments on how the expansion of militant operations is undermining critical health infrastructure
Dr. Ladd Serwat, Senior Africa Analyst at ACLED, said:
“In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the convergence of rising Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) violence and the spread of Ebola in Haut-Uele province is especially concerning, with Ebola responders now requiring access to an area under increasing threat by insurgents.
“Haut-Uele had not been a regular area for ADF operations until 2026, when attacks in the southern parts of the province became more frequent, signaling a worrying expansion of the ADF’s operations beyond Ituri and North Kivu.
“The majority of violence relating to Ebola responders involves mobs and violent demonstrations upset with the strict methods of handling Ebola patients and the deceased. However, the ADF has also frequently conducted attacks on health workers. In November of last year, ADF attacked a health center in Biambe, reportedly killing at least 17 patients, looting hospital goods, and burning down the facility.
“This targeted violence against health facilities threatens responders seeking to curb the dangerous spread of Ebola into new areas.”
For more information, or to arrange an interview, contact the ACLED Press Office.
