AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Local officials and human rights groups said at least 25 civilians were killed in a brutal attack carried out by an Islamic State-linked militant group in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The assault was attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan-origin rebel group that has operated for years in border areas between Uganda and eastern Congo. Christophe Munyanderu, head of the Convention for the Respect of Human Rights, said 15 people were burned alive inside a house, while seven others were shot dead in the village of Apakolo in Irumu territory. The deaths of three additional people were reported in the neighboring area of Walese Vonkutu.
Local authorities said the attack occurred at around 4 a.m., describing it as “a real massacre.” While some reports suggested the victims were Christians, officials declined to provide details about the religious affiliation of those killed.
Eastern Congo has suffered persistent insecurity in recent years, with multiple armed groups, including the ADF and the M23 rebels, accused of deadly attacks, mass displacement of civilians, and the erosion of regional security. Despite joint military operations by Congolese and Ugandan forces and the presence of United Nations peacekeepers, critics say the security situation remains fragile.
Investigations into the attack are ongoing as local communities mourn the victims, and efforts to provide aid and begin reconstruction get underway.
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