At least 35 people were killed overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia in eastern DR Congo’s North Kivu Province, Xinhua reports.

In June, at least 16 people were reportedly killed by the Islamist rebel group based in North Kivu Province.

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The latest attack took place in the village of Ombele in Lubero territory, according to the sources, who said the toll might go up as many civilians were taken hostage or missing. The search for victims in burned-down houses has been ongoing since Wednesday morning, the sources said.

The Ugandan militia group has operated from the jungles of eastern DR Congo for almost three decades. The ADF, a branch of the Islamic State in Central Africa linked to the terrorists in northern Mozambique, is one of the more than 200 militia groups operating in the jungles of eastern DR Congo. It pledged loyalty to the Islamic State group in 2019.

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Ugandan troops and Congolese forces have been jointly battling the ADF militia group since November 2021.