Rebels linked to the Islamic State (IS) group have killed more than 50 people at a funeral ceremony in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, officials have reported.
Most of the victims were hacked with machetes in the violent nighttime assault by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) on a village in North Kivu province. This incident is the latest in a series of attacks tied to the ADF, raising fears that the group's insurgency is strengthening.
The ADF, which originated in Uganda in the 1990s, accuses the Ugandan government of persecuting Muslims and has since relocated across the border into DR Congo, conducting attacks in both regions.
Macaire Sivikunula, a local administrator, confirmed a provisional death toll of 50, stating that victims were caught off guard at a mourning ceremony in Ntoyo village. The attack occurred when ADF fighters had already committed the massacre by the time local soldiers intervened.
While the ADF has yet to respond, the Islamic State's Central African Province has claimed responsibility for the assault, stating that more than 100 people were killed. Witnesses reported chaos in the village, with some victims reportedly burned in their homes.
This brutal act follows another attack in July, where ADF fighters killed over 40 people, predominantly worshippers at a night vigil in Komanda.
Statistical analysis indicates that nearly 90% of IS operations are now executed by affiliated groups in Africa, underscoring a worrying trend in the continent's conflict dynamics.
