GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo — Militants linked to the Islamic State carried out a deadly overnight attack in eastern Congo, killing at least 60 people, according to local officials.
The assault took place in Ntoyo, North Kivu province, where residents had gathered for a burial. Authorities say the attack was launched by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019.
“The ADF attack caused around 60 deaths, but the final toll will be confirmed later this evening as services are still counting the victims, many of whom were beheaded,” said Col. Alain Kiwewa, administrator of the Lubero territory.
Despite ongoing joint military operations between Congo and Uganda, the ADF continues to target civilians in the region.
The violence comes amid broader instability in eastern Congo, where the government is also battling the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel movement and other armed groups. These overlapping conflicts have stretched security forces thin, leaving many border villages exposed.
Speaking at a U.N. Human Rights Council session in Geneva on Tuesday, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned that the ADF has been able to expand its attacks by exploiting a growing “security vacuum.”
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