The murder of 30 people in the province of North Kivu in Congo

• More than 30 people were killed as a result of an attack by militants in Congo.
• The attacks took place in the village of Bapere from August 16 to 18.
• The situation in eastern Congo is complicated by numerous armed groups.

KINSHASA, Congo — Suspected Islamist militants killed more than 30 people in a series of attacks in the province of North Kivu in recent days, military sources reported on Saturday.

The murders took place in the village of Bapere from Friday evening, according to Colonel Alain Kivava, the military administrator of the Lubero territory, where the village is located.

"We have more than 30 dead and even more than a hundred people who were captured in the raid," Kivava said.

The leader of the local community, Samuel Kakheni, president of the Bapere community organization, added that several houses had been burned, and the victims were primarily killed with knives.

These attacks have become one of a series of recent attacks carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which last month killed nearly 40 people during an attack on a Catholic church in Ituri. Most of the victims were killed with machetes.

The ADF, which has its roots in neighboring Uganda, operates in remote areas between Uganda and Congo. Both countries have launched a joint military operation against the group, but the number of attacks has only increased in recent months.

The situation with ADF attacks is exacerbated by security challenges in eastern Congo, where dozens of other armed groups are conducting violent activities, while the central government is dealing with the M23 insurgents, who have captured control over Goma and other key cities.

The military administrator of Lubero urged residents to be vigilant against the possible resurgence of violence.

"I urge the population to express themselves and remain vigilant," he said.

Tags: Crime