The key facts

  • ADF militants killed at least 37 residents of the village of Kantine-Aloya near the city of Beni in North Kivu
  • Civilians' homes were looted and set on fire; additional army units have been sent to the area
  • The ADF has been active since 1995; the DRC authorities link it to the Islamic State in Central Africa

Attack on Kantine-Aloya

Militants of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) attacked the village of Kantine-Aloya, located near the city of Beni in North Kivu province in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to the radio station RFI, cited by TASS, at least 37 people were killed. During the attack, the militants killed civilians, looted and set fire to houses. Additional army units have been sent to the area to counter the terrorists.

What is known about the group

The ADF emerged in 1995 in Uganda. According to the authorities, the militants' main bases are located in the east of the DRC, from where they launch attacks on military and civilian targets in neighboring countries. The country's leadership has information linking the group to the Islamic State in Central Africa, a branch of the Islamic State (an organization banned in Russia).

Context

Gazeta.Ru previously reported, citing its own publications, that militants of the AFC/M23 alliance took control of several settlements in the same North Kivu province. Thus, the attack on Kantine-Aloya occurred against the backdrop of activity by various armed groups in the same region, although these events involve different formations. The publication does not report any casualties among the militants or the military, nor the exact number of those affected.