Suspected rebels have tragically killed at least 30 civilians in a series of heinous attacks in Congo’s North Kivu province. The gruesome killings took place between Wednesday and Friday in Bapere village, a military official confirmed on Saturday.
The military administrator for the area reported that more than 30 people are dead, with a hundred others being held hostage. A local civil society leader added that several houses were burned and victims were primarily killed with knives.
These attacks are the latest in a string of recent violence by the Islamic State-aligned Allied Democratic Force or ADF. The ADF is also suspected of killing nearly 40 people last month in a brutal attack on a Catholic church in the neighboring Ituri province.
The ADF, with its roots in neighboring Uganda, operates in the border villages between Uganda and Congo’s eastern region. Both countries have launched a joint military operation against the group, but the attacks have only increased in recent months.
The violence adds to the complicated security challenges in the eastern region of Congo, where dozens of other armed groups are fighting. The military administrator called on local residents to be on guard and remain vigilant against further possible violence.