Over 50 People Killed by Islamic state-linked rebels at East Congo funeral

More than 50 civilians have been killed by Allied Democratic Forces rebels with machetes and guns at a funeral in the eastern Congo, officials said. This attack is the latest big attack by the Islamic State-linked group.

According to Macaire Sivikunula, a local administrator, the ADF assault took place on Monday night in the town of Ntoyo in North Kivu province’s Lubero territory.

“I can confirm a provisional death toll of 50. The victims were caught off guard at a mourning ceremony in the village of Ntoyo at around 9 p.m., and most of them were killed with machetes.” “The search is continuing,” he said.

The ADF began as an insurgency in Uganda but has been based in neighbouring Congo since the late 1990s, and the Islamic State militant group recognises it as an affiliate.

A recent flurry of ADF raids has increased insecurity in east Congo, a mineral-rich region where Rwanda-backed M23 rebels made significant progress earlier this year, prompting US President Donald Trump’s administration to attempt to broker peace.

Over 50 civilians were killed by ADF in multiple attacks, while an ADF attack in July on a church left 38 dead.

On Monday night, Colonel Alain Kiwewa, the military administrator for Lubero, told Reuters the death toll could rise, as there were still people missing.

Alain Kahindo Kinama, a resident, said Congolese soldiers had arrived at the scene on Tuesday morning and that many people were trying to leave the area.

Congolese army spokesperson Lieutenant Marc Elongo said ADF militants had “already committed the massacre” by the time soldiers intervened.

There was no immediate comment from the ADF.