April 2 (Reuters) – At least 15 civilians were killed in an attack by suspected Islamic State-linked militants in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday, according to four local and provincial officials.
* The attack took place from around 7 p.m. local time (1700GMT) in Bafwakoa village, located in Mambasa territory, Ituriprovince, near the town of Niania, officials said. * Baptiste Munyapandi, the territorial administrator ofMambasa, said authorities had so far confirmed 15 deaths, addingthat search operations were continuing and that the death tollcould rise. Provincial authorities told Reuters that about 20bodies had so far been recovered. * Authorities blamed the attack on the Allied DemocraticForces, a Ugandan armed group active in eastern Congo that isrecognised by Islamic State as an affiliate. * Houses were set on fire, some victims were killed withmachetes and others burned in their homes, and two people wereabducted, said Christian Alimasi, a local customary official inMambasa territory. * ADF attacks on civilians have intensified in recent monthsin parts of Ituri and neighbouring North Kivu province, despitejoint Congolese-Ugandan military operations against the grouplaunched in 2021. * Data from Insecurity Insight, a research organisation thatanalyses verified violent incidents affecting civilians, showsthe ADF accounted for about a quarter of reported violenceagainst civilians in eastern Congo between 2020 and 2025.
(Reporting by Congo newsroom; Writing by Clement Bonnerot; Editing by Robbie Corey-Boulet, Alexandra Hudson)
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