In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s North Kivu province, at least 16 individuals fell victim to a violent assault attributed to a suspected Islamist rebel faction, as confirmed by a local administrative official.
The perpetrators, believed to be affiliated with the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) known for their ties to the Islamic State, have long operated in the region, originating as an insurgency in Uganda and extending their activities into the jungles of eastern Congo for nearly thirty years.
According to Fabien Kakule Viriro, a local official, the assailants capitalized on the absence of military presence in the area, launching a ruthless attack on the populace.
The victims, indiscriminately targeted, faced brutal deaths, either hacked to death with machetes within their homes or fields, or mercilessly executed while attempting to flee the onslaught.
