Security Remains Fragile, DR Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi take Holistic Approach - Briefing

Briefing by Mr. Huang Xia, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General to the Great Lakes Region, on the situation in the Great Lakes Region.
During the period under review, the security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remained fragile, as illegal armed groups continued to commit atrocities against the civilian population and attack the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC). In addition, cross-border security related incidents, prevailing insecurity in the Central African Republic and sporadic fighting between Government and opposition forces in South Sudan affected peace and stability in the Great Lakes region.
In the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) were suspected of perpetrating attacks in the Beni area, including in areas affected by the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease. Furthermore, alleged links between ADF and Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) raised grave concern in
the region.
On 18 April, ISIL claimed responsibility for an attack suspected to have been carried out by ADF on an FARDC camp in Bovata, North Kivu, on 16 April, during which two soldiers and one civilian were killed. Since then, ISIL has claimed responsibility for more attacks also attributed to ADF. In a media appearance on 29 June, the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, expressed concern over the adoption by ADF of terror tactics linked to ISIL. In its most recent report, however, the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo did not confirm any direct link between ADF and ISIL.