OICHA: At least nine people died when a militia linked to Islamic State launched an overnight attack in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Allied Democratic Forces targeted civilians in Oicha town, looting shops and burning homes between Saturday night and Sunday morning.
Local civil group leader Isaac Kavalami confirmed eight civilians and one police officer died in the assault.
An AFP reporter observed nine bodies at Oicha General Hospital’s morgue, some bearing stab wounds from the violence.
Congolese army spokesman Lieutenant Marc Elongo attributed the attack to “ADF terrorists” seeking revenge against civilians for military operations in the region.
Kavalami revealed civil society representatives had warned security forces about potential attacks beforehand without receiving protection measures.
The ADF, originally Ugandan Muslim fighters based near the Ugandan border since the 1990s, has killed thousands despite joint Ugandan-Congolese military efforts.
The group formally aligned with Islamic State in 2019 but continues targeting civilians in the conflict-ridden region. – AFP