A group of Islamist militants bound approximately 19 villagers before ruthlessly employing machetes and other weaponry in a deadly assault in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the late evening of Sunday, as reported by a leader within the civil society.
Several other villagers sought refuge in flight, attempting to traverse the Lamia River into Uganda; however, it is feared that some may have met a tragic fate, possibly drowning in the process, as conveyed by Maurice Mabele Musaidi.
Both Maurice Mabele Musaidi and a representative from the Congolese army have attributed the assault in the Watalinga chiefdom of Beni territory to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed group rooted in eastern Congo that has avowed allegiance to the Islamic State.
Originating in Uganda, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) established itself before crossing the border into the Democratic Republic of Congo during the 1990s. Over the past decade, the ADF has been held responsible for a multitude of killings numbering in the thousands.
The Congolese army reported the elimination of a minimum of six militants on that fateful night, providing limited specifics regarding the operational details.