During the month of March, the High Frequency (HF) radio Early Warning System (EWS) documented a string of LRA attacks on civilians in the Uele provinces in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in which 50 civilians were abducted and dozens of others looted. Thirty-four of the 50 abductees in March were utilized as short-term porters to carry looted goods and were released within a few days of their abduction. However, the remaining 16 abductees, including four children, remain missing and presumed in captivity. Fifteen long-term captives defected from LRA groups in January and February 2020, which may have prompted LRA groups to replenish their ranks in recent weeks.

Invisible Children and its partners have utilized the HF radio EWS to send multiple alerts to remote communities at risk of further LRA violence. In response, local civil society actors have implemented a range of risk-mitigation activities, including traveling in groups, especially while farming and collecting items such as firewood, and creating a warning signal within the communities, such as a loud whistle.

March 2020 LRA attacks:

1) March 4 · Lebo · 17 abductees: A group of seven LRA combatants attacked the community of Lebo, located 7 km south of Gbiavo. The assailants looted the community and abducted 17 civilians, including two boys, and a girl to porter the goods. On March 6, the group released 14 of the captives, but continued to hold the children.

2) March 13 · Kule · 15 abductees: A group of 12 LRA combatants, armed with AK-47s and PKMs, attacked the community of  Kule, located 18 km northeast of Baye. The assailants looted food and other goods from the community and then abducted 14 men and one girl to porter the goods. On March 15, they released the men but continued to hold the girl captive.

3) March 23 · Kubango · 18 abductees: An LRA group, dressed in military attire, erected a barricade along a road near Kubango, located 20 km northeast of Bakpolo. The combatants ambushed travelers and abducted 18 men. On March 25, the combantans released six of the captives but continued to hold the remaining 12. A farmer spotted an armed group, accompanied by 12 people portering goods, approximately 7 km from Adama on March 29.

4) March 24 · Kubango · 22 civilians looted: An LRA group ambushed 22 civilians, including three women, in Manguliti, located 7 km southwest of Bambangana. The assailants looted the civilians and held them for several hours before withdrawing to the bush and allowing for the victims to flee. According to the victims, the LRA combatants had a tusk of ivory with them.