Rebels linked to the Islamic State (IS) group have killed more than 50 people at a funeral ceremony in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The attack, carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the village of Ntoyo, North Kivu province, left many victims hacked with machetes.
According to local administrator Macaire Sivikunula, the victims were caught off guard during a mourning ceremony.
The ADF has not commented on the attack, but the Islamic State’s Central African Province confirmed it, claiming over 100 people were killed. Witnesses described “utter carnage” in the village, with some people burnt in their homes.
This attack raises fears that the ADF’s insurgency is growing in strength.
The group, which emerged in Uganda in the 1990s, has been based in DR Congo and carries out attacks in both countries.
In July, ADF fighters killed over 40 people, including nine children, in a church attack in Komanda.
The DR Congo army has been working to quell the insurgency, with Ugandan and DR Congo troops previously conducting joint operations. According to BBC Monitoring, nearly 90% of IS operations are now carried out by affiliates in Africa.
