Key facts
- ADF generates $1 million-$1.6 million annually from gold production and smuggling in North Kivu province.
- Gold is trafficked through Uganda to refiners and export networks.
- Revenue from gold has allowed the ADF to rely less on Islamic State support since late 2024.
- The ADF also generates money from cocoa production, extortion, and kidnapping.
The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an insurgency aligned with Islamic State in eastern Congo, generates most of its revenue from gold production and smuggling, according to a report by The Sentry. The group is estimated to earn between $1 million and $1.6 million annually from gold mining sites in North Kivu province alone. This revenue allows the ADF to finance its operations and rely less on financial support from Islamic State, particularly since late 2024 when US sanctions targeted key facilitators in its networks. The gold is trafficked through trading hubs in eastern Congo and onwards to refiners and export networks in neighboring Uganda. The ADF also generates income from cocoa production, extortion, and kidnapping. The report highlights the group's resilience despite years of Ugandan and Congolese military operations, noting its deep integration into local economic networks.