Massacre in Eastern Congo: IS-Linked Rebel Group Claims 66 Lives

Rebels linked to the Islamic State group, specifically the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), killed 66 civilians in eastern Congo, near the border with Uganda. The massacre, suspected to be retaliation for recent military operations, highlights the ongoing violence in the region led by ADF, an Islamist group.

Rebels affiliated with the Islamic State group unleashed terror in the Democratic Republic of Congo, killing 66 people, local officials reported on Saturday. The brutal assault unfolded in the eastern Irumu area bordering Uganda, executed by fighters from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group notorious for its ties to IS.

The attack's blood-soaked path, as per reports from Jean Tobie Okala, spokesperson for the UN mission in Ituri, claimed lives between Thursday and Friday in the Walese Vonkutu chiefdom. The death toll rose sharply from an initial count of 31, marking a severe escalation.

This assault marks a grim chapter in a region already marred by conflict, as ADF continues to grow in influence and brutality. Originating in Uganda in the 1990s and affiliating with IS in 2019, the group has intensified attacks, spreading fear and violence across eastern Congo.

(With inputs from agencies.)