Suspected Islamist rebels kill 30 in Congo's North Kivu province
The killings took place in Bapere village between Wednesday and Friday, according to Col. Alain Kiwawa, the military administrator of Lubero territory where the village is located.
'We have more than 30 people dead, and at least a hundred who are being held hostage,' Kiwawa told The Associated Press.
A civil society leader, Samuel Kaheni, the president of the Bapere civil society organization, added that several houses were burned and victims were mostly killed with knives.
The attacks are the latest in a string of recent attacks by Islamic State-aligned Allied Democratic Force (ADF) after its members killed nearly 40 people last month in an attack on a Catholic church in Ituri. Most of the victims were killed with machetes.
The ADF, with roots in neighboring Uganda, operates in the border villages between Uganda and Congo. Both countries have launched a joint armed operation against the group, but the group has only increased its attacks in recent months.
The incidence of ADF attacks adds to the complicated security challenges in the eastern region of Congo, where dozens of other armed groups are fighting, and the central government is battling the M23 rebels, which have taken control of Goma and other key cities.
Lubero's military administrator called on the residents to be on guard against further violence.
'I ask the population to speak out and remain vigilant,' he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
19 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
Nigeria says it has arrested 2 militant leaders on its most wanted list
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The leaders of two militant groups on Nigeria 's most wanted list have been arrested in an operation involving multiple agencies, the West African country's national security adviser said Saturday. The two leaders were allegedly the heads of Ansaru, an al-Qaida -linked group, and Mahmuda, a relatively new and lesser-known militant group. Mahmuda gained national prominence after a string of attacks earlier this year in the country's north-central region.
Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
Guatemalan prison guards freed after being held hostage by gang members
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemalan authorities on Saturday freed nine prison guards who had been held hostage since Thursday by rioting inmates in Guatemala City, an official said. Members of Guatemala's two largest gangs — Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha — began rioting Tuesday in two prisons, demanding the return of 10 leaders who had been transferred to another facility and placed in solitary confinement.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Guatemalan prison guards freed after being held hostage by gang members
GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — Guatemalan authorities on Saturday freed nine prison guards who had been held hostage since Thursday by rioting inmates in Guatemala City, an official said. Members of Guatemala's two largest gangs — Barrio 18 and Mara Salvatrucha — began rioting Tuesday in two prisons, demanding the return of 10 leaders who had been transferred to another facility and placed in solitary confinement. José Portillo, Deputy Minister of Security, told The Associated Press that the guards released Saturday had been held by members of Mara Salvatrucha. One prison official died Friday after being shot, authorities said, without providing further details. Local media reported the shooting occurred at one of the prisons involved in the riots. Earlier this year, U.S. President Donald Trump designated Mara Salvatrucha as a terrorist organization, placing it on a list of criminal groups that he said operate in the region and threaten public safety across the hemisphere. In another similar incident, anti-kidnapping teams freed 11 guards on Wednesday who were also held hostage by gang members in two Guatemalan prisons. ___ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at
