Screenshot of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' official release.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs' official WeChat platform on Sunday released a safety notice advising Chinese nationals in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to evacuate immediately, citing the highly complex and severe security situation in the region. 

The DRC's North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, and Haut-Uélé provinces, along with the surrounding areas, face extremely high security risks, with parts of the region in active conflict. Violent incidents targeting Chinese nationals and enterprises, including armed attacks, clashes and kidnappings, have occurred frequently, read the notice. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in the DRC solemnly remind all Chinese nationals and companies in eastern DRC, particularly those in South Kivu, to promptly register their information with the Embassy and evacuate the area without delay. 

The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) on Friday condemned a series of deadly attacks by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in eastern DRC that left at least 89 civilians dead, Xinhua News Agency reported. 

According to a MONUSCO press release, the ADF launched multiple attacks from November 13 to 19 in different localities in the Lubero territory, North Kivu Province, Xinhua reported.

At least 20 women and "an undetermined number of children" were among the victims, according to MONUSCO, one of the largest UN peacekeeping operations, which started winding down its operations in eastern DRC in 2024, per Xinhua.

According to Xinhua, the ADF, an Islamic State-linked armed group of Ugandan origin, has intensified assaults on villages in North Kivu and Ituri in recent months, primarily targeting civilians.

Global Times