At least 43 civilians were killed in a brutal terrorist attack by Daesh-linked Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) fighters in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, officials said Thursday, as armed groups continue to terrorize communities in the volatile Ituri province.
The attack took place in the village of Bafwakoa in the east of the country, bordering Uganda. The ADF is a Ugandan terrorist group with ties to Daesh that operates on both sides of the porous border.
The attack comes as eastern Congo may see an end to its ongoing war with M23, a separate rebel group which is backed by Rwanda, another of Congo's neighbors.
"It was yesterday, starting at 7 p.m., that the ADF arrived and began operating. They set fire to houses in the village and also killed about 32 people," said Samuel Banapia, a member of civil society in the area, when contacted by telephone.
Local officials said at least 30 people were killed with machetes and that several people remain missing, with at least two people taken hostage.
