BENI, Congo
Suspected rebels attacked a village in eastern Congo with machetes and guns, killing at least a dozen civilians, Congo’s army and a survivor said Monday.
Fighters believed to be part
of the Allied Democratic Forces rebel group staged the attack Sunday night in
Masambo, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) away from the city of Beni, army
spokesman Capt. Anthony Mwalushayi told The Associated Press.
“Investigations are underway,”
he said. “We are in pursuit of the enemy towards the Uganda border near Mount
Ruwenzori. I call on the population to remain calm and to collaborate with the
Congolese army by giving any information on suspicious persons.”
When Masambo was attacked
residents fled, some finding refuge in Kasindi on the border with Uganda and
others in Beni.
Deborah Mutangi, who spoke to
the AP in Beni, said she and her children survived the attack and fled Monday
morning.
“After hearing bullets, I went
straight into the house to tell the children to lock the doors,” she said. “In
the morning, we woke up to see bodies everywhere.” She said she counted at
least 15 dead.
“Thank God that I arrived
safely with my children,” Mutangi said. She urged Congo’s government to hunt
down the rebels, warning that if not, “they will kill us all.”
The attack by suspected ADF
rebels based in Uganda, comes a few days after the start of the trials of about
a dozen rebels who were captured in combat by Congo’s army and were brought to
Beni.
The Uganda-based ADF rebels
have been active in eastern Congo for decades and have killed thousands in the
region since they resurfaced in 2013. In December, Uganda sent more than 1,000
soldiers to fight with Congo’s army against ADF rebels in the region.
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