DRC: At Least 16 Civilians Killed In Suspected Militia Attack In North Kivu Province

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) military on Friday said at least 16 people were killed and eight injured in an attack by suspected Allied Democratic Forces rebels in the North Kivu province, reported CGTN Africa.

The attack was carried out on Thursday on a highway between Maimoya and Chani-Chani towns, some 40km (25 miles) from Beni city in North Kivu province. The civilians were on a truck that was in a convoy with a military escort. When the rebels attacked, the truck, which was heavily laden with goods, overturned.

Dr. Jerome Kambale Munuambethe, head of the hospital in the town of Oicha, told AFP that the deceased included six women and a child, all of whom were shot.

Town mayor Nicolas Kikuku said 16 bodies were in the hospital morgue. He said the nine wounded were being treated at the hospital.

The Oicha region is often targeted by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), one of the deadliest armed militant groups present in the mineral-rich eastern DRC. The ADF is historically a Ugandan Islamist group that has been prevalent in the region since 1995. In March, Washington said the ADF had some link with the Islamic State jihadist group.

Since last month, at least 14 people have been killed and several others have been injured in attacks carried out by the ADF rebels in and around Beni city.

In May, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi placed North Kivu and neighboring Ituri province under a so-called state of siege in a bid to curb growing insecurity and step up the fight against armed groups. Several senior civilian officials were replaced by army and police officers.

Last week, the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR, called for urgent and enhanced measures to protect civilians in eastern DRC, where a series of recent attacks by an armed group has displaced over 20,000 people in North Kivu province.