ISIS-linked Group Kills at Least 78 Civilians in Eastern Congo

ISIS-linked Group Kills at Least 78 Civilians in Eastern Congo
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Armed militants linked to the ISIS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) massacred at least 78 civilians in two separate attacks in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, local authorities and media reported.

According to Africa News, the deadliest assault occurred in Ntouyo village, where around 60 people were killed after militants stormed a funeral gathering, using machetes and other bladed weapons against residents. In a separate incident in the Beni region, at least 18 more civilians were murdered by the same group.

The ADF, originally a Ugandan rebel faction, has expanded operations in eastern Congo and pledged allegiance to ISIS in recent years. The UN has repeatedly warned that the persistent security vacuum in North Kivu and Ituri provinces has allowed the group to intensify its attacks on villages, displacing thousands.

Human rights groups are urging stronger regional cooperation to confront the escalating violence that continues to devastate communities in eastern Congo.