By James Tasamba
KIGALI, Rwanda (AA) - At least 19 people were killed and several injured in the latest attack by suspected members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group on a village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, authorities said Monday.
The attack occurred earlier in the day in Lubero territory of North Kivu province, according to Col. Alain Kiwewa, the territory’s administrator.
“The attackers suspected to be from the ADF invaded Mukondo village in the chiefdom of Baswagha in the wee hours, sowing terror among the population. The provisional death toll is 19,” Kiwewa told reporters.
He said the attackers also caused significant material damage in another locality in the same chiefdom, where several homes were burnt and shops looted.
The violence led to a massive displacement of the population, who are seeking refuge in areas deemed safer, according to local media.
Following the incident, the Congolese military announced that they had launched a joint operation with the Ugandan army to secure the area and hunt down the attackers.
Armed groups terrorize civilians across eastern Congo. The UN in July alone documented deadly attacks by ADF rebels and other militias in Ituri, South Kivu and North Kivu provinces despite an ongoing joint military offensive.
Since 2021, Ugandan and Congolese forces have been conducting joint operations against the ADF rebels.
The group, which has been active in eastern Congo for several years, is affiliated with ISIS (Daesh).