Death toll from rebel attack in DR Congo climbs to 38

By James Tasamba

KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) - The death toll from an attack last week in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo attributed to rebels of Uganda’s Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) has risen to 38, a monitor focused on violence in the eastern part of the country said Monday.

On Nov. 11, assailants attacked Kisunga village southeast of the town of Butembo in North Kivu province, leaving several civilians dead and a health facility and several homes torched.

“The death toll from the attack on the night of Nov. 11 to 12 was revised to 38 after new bodies were discovered in two neighboring villages along the Kamwanga-Kibasiamwagha road,” the Kivu Security Tracker said.

It marks the deadliest attack since May in the Boga and Tchabi areas of Ituri province, it said, when at least 51 people were killed.

Most of the victims were executed with machetes after being taken hostage.

Meanwhile, 18 civilians were killed Monday morning in Irumu territory of Ituri province in an attack attributed to militias of the Chini ya Kilima - FPIC group, the security monitor said.

This brings the number of civilians killed in North Kivu and Ituri since a state of siege was declared in May to at least 1,137, according to the security monitor.

President Felix Tshisekedi proclaimed a “state of siege” in May in Ituri and North Kivu provinces, replacing senior civilian officials in the state with army officers in a bid to curb growing insecurity.