Militants from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) killed more than 50 people during a funeral in Ntoyo, Lubero territory, late Monday, local officials said. Survivors and authorities said the attackers used machetes and guns and struck around 9 p.m., with searches under way for the missing and the toll expected to rise.
Colonel Alain Kiwewa, Lubero’s military administrator, said the count had reached roughly 60 by Tuesday morning. A civil society leader reported some victims were shot and vehicles set ablaze, while residents described scenes of panic before troops arrived.
The ADF, which began as a Ugandan insurgency and is now recognized by Islamic State as an affiliate, has stepped up raids in recent weeks across North Kivu and Ituri. The group has been blamed for a string of mass killings, including coordinated attacks last month and a July assault on a church that left 38 dead.
Eastern Congo’s security has further deteriorated amid a separate M23 advance earlier this year, adding pressure on civilians and complicating counterinsurgency efforts; Washington has tried to broker de-escalation without a breakthrough. Congo and Uganda say joint operations against the ADF continue.