In brief
A suspected Allied Democratic Forces attack on Thursday night in Cantine, Beni territory of North Kivu Province, killed at least 30 people, including civilians, security staff and civil society members. The rebels reportedly set fire to several houses and took hostages as they withdrew. The incident follows a surge of ADF attacks in the region and has triggered joint military operations by Congolese and Ugandan forces.
At least 30 people died in an overnight attack attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in Cantine, a locality in Beni territory of North Kivu Province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Xinhua reported on Friday.
The death toll includes civilians, security personnel and civil society members, sources said. Several houses were set on fire during the assault.
Security sources in Beni said that reinforcements had been deployed to the area and operations to pursue the attackers were ongoing. Search operations were also underway to locate more victims, as several people were reportedly taken hostage by the rebels as they withdrew.
The latest attack comes amid a resurgence of violence attributed to the ADF in eastern DRC. In recent months, the group has intensified attacks against civilians in several localities across North Kivu and Ituri provinces. Its continued activity has prompted joint military operations by Congolese and Ugandan forces since November 2021 to track down and neutralize the group.
