At least 16 civilians, including gold miners, were killed in an attack by suspected Allied Democratic Forces rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri province, local authorities said on Thursday.
The assault took place on Wednesday afternoon in Mandeite village, in Mambasa territory, about 165 kilometres southwest of the provincial capital, Bunia.
Janvier Kinyongi, a local official, said many of those killed were miners working in the area.
“The death toll remains provisional because attacks are still being reported in nearby areas,” Kinyongi told reporters in Bunia.
The violence came only days after suspected ADF fighters abducted several people in the same region, raising fresh concerns over deteriorating security in Ituri.
The ADF remains one of the most serious threats to civilians in eastern Congo. According to the Kivu Security Tracker, the armed group killed 62 civilians and abducted 57 others in June.
The group, which has operated in eastern Congo for several years, is affiliated with the ISIS militant organisation.
Congolese and Ugandan forces have conducted joint military operations against the ADF since 2021, but the rebels have continued carrying out deadly attacks in remote communities.
Amnesty International said in a May report that although the ADF also targets security forces, civilians have increasingly become its main victims. The group has attacked communities to seize food, medicine and other supplies, as well as in retaliation for military operations.