At least 15 civilians were killed in an attack by suspected Daesh-linked terrorists in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday, according to four local and provincial officials.
The attack took place from around 7pm local time (17:00GMT) in Bafwakoa village, located in Mambasa territory, Ituriprovince, near the town of Niania, officials said.
Baptiste Munyapandi, the territorial administrator of Mambasa, said authorities had so far confirmed 15 deaths, adding that search operations were continuing and that the death toll could rise.
Provincial authorities told Reuters that about 20 bodies had so far been recovered.
Authorities blamed the attack on the Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan armed group active in eastern Congo that isrecognised by Islamic State as an affiliate.
Houses were set on fire, some victims were killed with machetes and others burned in their homes, and two people were abducted, said Christian Alimasi, a local customary official in Mambasa territory.
ADF attacks on civilians have intensified in recent months in parts of Ituri and neighbouring North Kivu province, despite joint Congolese-Ugandan military operations against the group launched in 2021.
Data from Insecurity Insight, a research organisation that analyses verified violent incidents affecting civilians, shows the ADF accounted for about a quarter of reported violence against civilians in eastern Congo between 2020 and 2025.
