Democratic Republic of Congo: Tides of Terror
Survival on Lake Kivu’s Frontlines
Lake Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
This gallery is a brief selection from a much larger body of work. The remaining images and full narrative are reserved for my forthcoming book. For commissioning or licensing enquiries, please contact me directly.
On the volatile shores of Lake Kivu, survival is an act of defiance. Tides of Terror documents the lives of Congolese fishermen and villagers caught between hunger and armed conflict, where each night on the water could be their last.
The threat extends beyond the lake. Armed groups like M23—backed by Rwanda and entangled with Western interests—terrorise communities with rape, displacement, and brutality. Women live in fear of gang rape, often begging for contraception to avoid pregnancies born of violence. The trauma doesn’t end with the act; it continues in exile, stigma, and silence.
Among the chaos, mercenaries from Wagner Group appear near humanitarian outposts, exposing the unsettling overlap between aid and militarisation.
This series lays bare a frontline where geopolitical games manifest as human suffering—and where ordinary people fight to hold on to life, dignity, and hope
Lake Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
This gallery is a brief selection from a much larger body of work. The remaining images and full narrative are reserved for my forthcoming book. For commissioning or licensing enquiries, please contact me directly.
On the volatile shores of Lake Kivu, survival is an act of defiance. Tides of Terror documents the lives of Congolese fishermen and villagers caught between hunger and armed conflict, where each night on the water could be their last.
The threat extends beyond the lake. Armed groups like M23—backed by Rwanda and entangled with Western interests—terrorise communities with rape, displacement, and brutality. Women live in fear of gang rape, often begging for contraception to avoid pregnancies born of violence. The trauma doesn’t end with the act; it continues in exile, stigma, and silence.
Among the chaos, mercenaries from Wagner Group appear near humanitarian outposts, exposing the unsettling overlap between aid and militarisation.
This series lays bare a frontline where geopolitical games manifest as human suffering—and where ordinary people fight to hold on to life, dignity, and hope
© Liz Loh-Taylor
Client Access
Contact