At least 17 civilians were brutally murdered in an attack by suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday, local officials reported on Wednesday.
The victims, who were working in fields approximately 20 kilometers west of Oicha town in North Kivu province, fell prey to the assailants. This violence is the latest in a long history of conflict in the mineral-rich region, which has been plagued by militia activity since the end of a civil war early this century.
Oicha Mayor Nicolas Kikuku directly blamed the ADF, an Islamic State-linked group known for its attacks on civilians, for the horrific incident. By Wednesday evening, a grim tally of 17 bodies had been transported to the local morgue.
The brutality of the attack was evident in the condition of the victims. Kakule Sekera, head of the morgue, reported that 19 bodies had been received, including two women, and that many had been decapitated with machetes.
Local civil society groups expressed deep concern over the rising violence. Patrick Kakule Mukohe, vice president of a local organization, confirmed the grim toll of 17 bodies at the morgue but indicated that the final count could be higher.
As the investigation into this horrific crime unfolds, the community of Oicha and the wider region grapple with the ongoing threat posed by armed groups and the devastating impact on innocent civilians.
