By Byobe Malenga
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo (AA) – Members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group attacked villagers at a health center in North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, local sources said Thursday.
The group carried out the attack late Wednesday in Mantumbi village using machetes, knives and guns, leaving 15 people dead, including nine women.
“The massacre “was indeed committed by ADF terrorists who attacked people in the evening. Some of the victims were killed immediately by machete and others by gunshots,” said Fataki Sabuni, the village chief.
“In addition to civilians, the rebels killed patients and nurses, including a head nurse. The majority of the victims were killed with machetes, most of them farmers who were working in their fields,” he added
The rebels also kidnapped dozens of people.
The latest attack was one of many by the ADF in the area.
Last week, another health center was attacked in the city of Mangina, leaving seven dead and several injured.
The Daesh/ISIS terror group presents the ADF as its branch in Central Africa and claims responsibility for some of its attacks.
The ADF was a originally a coalition of Ugandan armed groups opposed to the government of President Yoweri Museveni.
Since 2014, the ADF has been accused of having massacred more than 7,000 Congolese civilians during extremely violent raids in the Beni region in North Kivu as well as in Ituri in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Ugandan army has launched a joint operation with the Congolese military against the ADF since the end of November 2021.
Violence and insecurity worsen day by day in North Kivu, including Beni, which is one of the most unstable regions in the world with daily massacres.