Suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) fighters carried out a night attack on a village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, killing five civilians, according to a provincial official.
Elie Mbafumoja said the assault targeted the village of Kididiwe in Beni territory, North Kivu, where victims were reportedly killed with knives and firearms. Several local residents remain missing, raising concerns that the death toll could rise.
The remote farming community was left devastated after the attackers looted food supplies and other civilian property before withdrawing into nearby forested areas. The incident marks the seventh reported attack attributed to the group since early June.
Humanitarian organisations say the escalating violence is further straining emergency response efforts, including operations linked to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the region. Aid groups also warn that repeated attacks are driving large-scale displacement, leaving thousands of families without access to basic services.
Reports from rights groups have previously accused ADF fighters, an Islamic State-linked armed group, of targeting civilians in retaliatory attacks amid continued military operations by Congolese forces.