At least 17 people were killed by suspected Islamist rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, according to local officials and a hospital worker. This latest violence occurred in the North Kivu province, an area notorious for its militia conflicts and long-standing instability.
Once again, Congo makes headlines for its unending cycle of violence. It seems the country can’t escape its bad reputation—every story coming out of there is another tragedy.
The attack targeted civilians working their fields around 20 kilometers west of the town of Oicha. The region, rich in minerals, continues to suffer from the aftereffects of a civil war that supposedly ended years ago.
Oicha Mayor Nicolas Kikuku pointed the finger at the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an extremist group with links to the Islamic State. The ADF, originally from Uganda, has been a persistent menace in eastern Congo, frequently assaulting innocent civilians.
By Wednesday evening, the general hospital in Oicha had received 17 bodies transported on motorbikes. The head of the morgue, Kakule Sekera, reported that 19 bodies had been delivered, including two women. Some victims had been decapitated with machetes.
Local civil society vice-president Patrick Kakule Mukohe counted 17 bodies at the morgue but heard reports of 31 victims in total, suggesting more bodies might still be recovered.
