Militia kills nine in eastern DR Congo

Military officials says nine civilians have been killed by suspected militiamen --believed to be members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)-- in the town of Oicha, in the Beni region of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Local administrator Donat Kibwana told AFP of the attacks, "They entered Oicha late at night, they pillaged and made off with farm animals. We lost nine people in the attack."

The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) is an armed Islamist-rooted group said to be responsible for hundreds of killings since 2014 in the Central African country, which began operation began in western Uganda in 1995 under the leadership of Jamil Mukulu, a Christian turned Muslim.

Military spokesman Mak Hazukay said the militia, "got around our position and carried out their dirty work in eastern Oicha... there are nine civilians dead".

The group operates in the border area in the DRC's North Kivu province, has an history of recruiting and using child soldiers.

According to an AFP toll, 47 deaths in Beni --including seven UN peacekeepers killed in an operation against the group-- have been attributed to the group

Democratic Republic of Congo is currently under an Ebola outbreak and the violence have heavily hampered efforts combat and prevent further spreading of the virus in the eastern part of the country.

Presidential and Legislative elections are scheduled to hold on December 23.




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