The attacks, which occurred on Saturday in the Beni territory of North Kivu province, have been attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group affiliated with the Islamic State.

Initially reported as 10 fatalities, the number of those killed has been revised upward to 18, confirmed Kinos Katuo, a civil society leader in the affected area. Katuo also reported that 14 people are still missing, and the attackers burned four houses and two motorcycles.

Another local leader, Charles Endukado, suggested the death toll could be even higher, stating, "The number of people killed in the attacks is more than 18." Endukado added that recovery efforts have been hindered, as no one has been able to retrieve the bodies still lying on the ground.

The ADF, originally a Ugandan rebel group with a predominantly Muslim base, has been active in eastern DRC for the past three decades, responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians. In 2019, the group pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, which now recognizes the ADF as its central African branch.

The ADF was also blamed for an attack in late July that claimed 20 lives. Local authorities in Beni reported that since the beginning of June, approximately 150 people have been killed in attacks attributed to the ADF in eastern DRC.

Despite joint military operations by the Congolese and Ugandan armies against the ADF in North Kivu and the neighboring Ituri province since the end of 2021, the group continues to carry out deadly attacks on civilians. (ILKHA)