The death toll has reached 41 after suspected Islamist rebels attacked villages in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday, according to a Congolese army spokesman.
Lieutenant-Colonel Mak Hazukay from North Kivu province said the attack was carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group aligned with Islamic State that frequently disrupts the region.
The ADF, originating from Uganda, is also suspected of another assault earlier this week that killed at least 16 people.
Local official Fabien Kakule reported that armed men used guns and machetes to attack residents in Beni territory overnight on Friday.
Vusindi Nick Junior, a local civil society leader, noted that a health center was set on fire and nine people were injured in addition to the 41 killed.
EU foreign affairs spokeswoman Nabila Massrali stressed the urgency of finding a political solution, stating that terrorist groups are exploiting the chaos to expand their influence.
Julien Paluku, a former governor of North Kivu, called on the national government to address the insecurity in the east, saying that people feel abandoned. The government has not yet commented on the attack.